The Assin North by-election has sparked a dispute between the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) amid allegations that money was distributed to voters.
Evidence of parked automobiles with money being distributed to voters has surfaced.
However, Ernest Owusu Bempah, the NPP’s deputy director of communications, claims that the party only helps some people go from far-flung locations to vote.
Richard Ahiagbah, the communications director for the ruling party, added that he had heard rumors that Dr. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, the minority leader, had distributed money to voters this morning.
According to him, the NPP has not made any plans to distribute money to voters because doing so would require a substantial investment. He claimed that any distribution of funds to voters for transportation may be made in the individual capacity of party members.
But he said that the people seen distributing money were the NDC and its Minority Leader.
The Minority Leader, who has spent the past few days in the Assin North Constituency, vehemently refuted this and accused the NPP instead. “Let them provide evidence. They are saying this to cover their mess,” he stated.
He claimed to have proof that the NPP is giving each voter a note of GHC 200 in order to sway them to vote for the party.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam claimed he had just visited the polling station across from the Assin North District Assembly office, and as a result, he was unable to understand how he could be sharing money.
By giving the money to voters, the NPP, according to Governs Kwame Agbodza, is duplicating what it did in Kumawu.
“They did the same thing in Kumawu,” he indicated, denying any claims that the NDC is sharing monies anywhere within the constituency.
Assumption Of 500 Soldiers Deployed To Assin North Refuted By Police
The Police have refuted Kwame Agbodza’s assertion that 500 soldiers had been sent to Assin North in preparation for the by-election.
The 500 soldiers were reportedly sent, according to Mr. Agbodza, for today’s, Tuesday, June 27, elections.
“The IGP has made it clear that elections security is the responsibility of the Police. So what duties will the 500 soldiers deployed and on their way to Assin North be performing tomorrow? Is this deployment at the request of the IGP? Somebody must provide urgent answers,” he disclosed in a tweet on the eve of the polls.
But the Police in a short message said “This is not true. There’s no military deployment.”
Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, a member of parliament for South Dayi, added that it is unconstitutional for the Inspector General of Police to order MPs’ bodyguards not to carry guns in Assin North.
All MP and other state officials who will be in Assin North in the Central Region for the by-elections on Tuesday were ordered by Dr. George Akuffo Dampare to turn in their guns.
However, Mr. Dafeamekpor asserted that MPs’ attachment of bodyguards is part of their contract of employment and that the IGP lacks the authority to alter the terms of service of a sitting MP in the same manner that he is unable to alter the terms of employment of a superior court judge in this republic.
“So for him to issue a statement and say that Police bodyguards of MPs should surrender their weapons to the nearest Police Station is unlawful and unconstitutional.”
Dafeamekpor
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