Concerned Patriots Drag Ahafo Ano North NPP Elections To Court
A group within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ahafo Ano North Constituency of the Ashanti Region has headed to court over alleged irregularities that characterized recent polling station and electoral area elections.
The group, known as the Concerned Patriots, says the integrity of the electoral process was compromised, leaving many grassroots members dissatisfied and threatening party unity in the constituency.
Speaking at a press conference in Tepa, Secretary of the group, Ayisi Asare Awuah, accused constituency executives and a representative of the Ashanti Regional Executive Committee of disregarding key provisions of the party’s electoral guidelines.
According to him, elections were not conducted in 23 polling stations, yet results were allegedly produced and incorporated into the overall outcome of the exercise.
The group is therefore seeking a court declaration that the omission of the affected polling stations was unlawful and a violation of the rights of party members in those areas.
“We have followed all the party’s internal processes in seeking redress, but our concerns have not received the needed attention. We are left with no option but to seek justice through the courts,” Mr. Asare Awuah stated.
The Concerned Patriots further alleged that mandatory vetting procedures for aspirants were ignored and that some polling station committees were improperly constituted.
They also questioned the use of voter albums during the elections, claiming that some unverified persons, including students from educational institutions in Tepa, were allowed to vote.
The group described the situation as a deliberate attempt to manipulate the electoral process and influence the outcome of the elections.
Another major concern raised was the alleged intimidation of party members by individuals described as “macho men” who were reportedly deployed to some polling centres.
The group believes such actions have created fear among party faithful and undermined confidence in the internal democratic processes of the NPP.
According to the Concerned Patriots, the alleged irregularities have already led to disaffection among some members, with a number reportedly leaving the party for other political groupings.
They warned that failure to address the concerns could have serious implications for the NPP’s electoral fortunes in the constituency ahead of future national elections.
The group is therefore calling on the national leadership of the party to investigate the conduct of the elections and the role played by officials who supervised the exercise.
Among the reliefs being sought from the court are an order compelling the party to conduct elections in the 23 outstanding polling stations and the removal of the regional representative who supervised the elections.
The Concerned Patriots insist that until transparency and fairness are restored, they will continue to challenge all subsequent electoral processes in the constituency through legal means.
