The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has declared the Member of Parliament for Yendi, Farouk Aliu Mahama, as the party’s parliamentary candidate-elect for the area.
The NPP’s parliamentary poll in the area was disrupted on Saturday, January 27, during the counting process.
Someone was allegedly caught spoiling the ballots of Farouk’s opponent, Hajia Abibata Shani Mahama Zakari, which led to massive confusion.
Counting was then put on hold, but the NPP Northern Regional Communications Director, Yusif Danjuma, in a Citi News interview, said the party continued the collation and declared the MP the winner after tallying the results.
Yusif Danjuma said Farouk Aliu Mahama polled 569 votes while Hajia Abibata Shani Mahama had 213 votes.
“The poll was declared yesterday by the national and the regional reps that were there to monitor the elections.”
“We had 735 registered voters and 734 turnout, and Farouk Aliu Mahama had 569 [votes], and Hajia Abibata Shani Mahama also had 213 [votes], and so when the incident happened, her votes were intact and a bit of Farouk’s was disrupted, but they were able to organize the counting and tally the figures and declared Farouk Aliu Mahama as the Yendi parliamentary candidate.”
The Ghana Police Service on Saturday, January 27 arrested one suspect and announced that it is on a manhunt for others who engaged in the violence.
The persons are suspected of damaging electoral materials during the sorting of ballots in the poll.
Tables and chairs were damaged during the act, which disrupted the counting process, putting the poll in the constituency in limbo.
The Police in a statement indicated that it worked together with the military, “in line with our established protocols, to restore law, order and security in the area.”
It added that no one was hurt during the disturbances.
“We wish to assure the public that all persons behind this unfortunate act shall be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law,” the statement further assured.
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