The Ayawaso Council of Zongo Chiefs has cautioned the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) against annulling the party’s Ayawaso East parliamentary primary held on February 7, warning that such a move could trigger tension within the constituency.
The warning follows calls by the NDC Majority Caucus in Parliament for the cancellation of the primary, which was won by former Ghanaian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed, amid allegations of vote-buying.
Addressing journalists, the chiefs insisted that the election outcome reflected the delegates’ will and should be respected.
Vice Chairman of the Council, Sarki Tanko Amadu, said the constituency had rallied behind the declared winner and urged party leaders to tread cautiously.
“Nima is already united, so if they say they are going to cancel the elections, do they know what is going to happen?” he questioned.
“Let us keep the result as it is. There is no election without bribery. Only God knows who is clean. Had it been another person who won, we, the chiefs, would have said the same.”
The controversy surrounding the primary stems from reports that some delegates were allegedly induced with items including 32-inch television sets and boiled eggs.
In response, the NDC set up a three-member investigative committee chaired by former Minister of Information, Kofi Totobi Quakyi, to probe the allegations and recommend appropriate sanctions and reforms.
The situation has further intensified following the recall of Baba Jamal from his diplomatic post by President John Dramani Mahama, as well as renewed calls by the NDC Majority Caucus for the primary to be annulled.
Separately, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has announced investigations into alleged vote-buying and related corrupt practices during both the NDC Ayawaso East parliamentary primary and the New Patriotic Party’s presidential primary.
The OSP has also alleged that Baba Jamal incited individuals to physically attack one of its officers who attempted to serve an investigative directive linked to the vote-buying allegations, adding another layer of scrutiny to the unfolding developments.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com