A member of the New Patriotic Party in the Asokwa Constituency who was under the impression that his name was in the party’s register for the 2023 presidential primaries had the shock of his life when he turned up at the voting centre only to realize that his name and that of 34 other registered members were not in the voters’ register.
Speaking to TV3, the disgruntled member of the NPP disclosed that because he believed that he had the right to vote, he skipped his mother-in-law's burial to come to the voting centre only to be met with the news that his name was on the list.
According to the man, he has been a long-term member of the party and even committed his personal funds for the payment of school fees of party members and other party initiatives.
“I participate in every activity of the party in the constituency. People queue up every morning at my house to ask for school fees. If I tell you how much I invest in the party, you’d be shocked.
“My mother-in-law is lying in bed, and I had to be there before she is buried but I’m here. I got here only to be told that my name is not on the register. They can either allow me cast my vote or they will repay all the investment I have made in the party”, he fumed while speaking to TV3.
Police had to step in to restore calm at a polling station in the Asokowa Constituency after 35 members of the party discovered that their names were not on the register.
According to a report by TV the angry member had threatened to disrupt the polls but calmed down upon the intervention of some party leaders and officers of the Ashanti Regional Police Command.
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About NPP Primaries
There are four contenders in this flagbearer race. Among them, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is considered a frontrunner while Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, is expected to be a strong competitor, particularly after his surprising second-place finish in the party's Super Delegates Conference, which took place in August.
The rest are former Food and Agric Minister, Dr. Owusu Akoto Afriyie, and former Member of Parliament, Francis Addai-Nimoh.
Bawumia secured a commanding victory in the Super Delegates Conference, receiving 629 votes, which represented 68.15 percent of the total votes cast. Kennedy Agyapong secured the second position, while former Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, came in third.
However, Alan Kyerematen, dissatisfied with the outcome and expressing concerns about what he perceived as unfair treatment by the NPP leadership, made the decision to resign from the party. He went on to establish the "Movement for Change" with the intention of contesting the 2024 general elections as an independent candidate.
Boakye Agyarko and Francis Addai-Nimoh emerged as the fifth aspirant. However, Boakye Agyarko withdrew from the scheduled September 2 run-off, adding an element of suspense to the race.
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