Tensions escalated on Sunday among members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Bunkpurugu Constituency in the North East region after constituency executives allegedly attempted to conduct polling station elections despite an interim injunction granted by the High Court in Nalerigu last Friday.
The court granted the injunction following an ex parte motion filed by 17 applicants who challenged the electoral process over alleged violations of party rules and breaches of natural justice.
Presiding Judge, Justice Samuel Bright Acquah, ruled, among other things, that allowing the elections to proceed as scheduled between May 10 and May 15 could cause “irreparable, irreversible, or irredeemable damage” to the plaintiffs and potentially render the final judgment meaningless.
However, despite the order which had been served on all interested parties and widely reported in the media, some polling station executives on Sunday, May 10, allegedly attempted to proceed with the elections, sparking protests and prompting security intervention.
According to reports, armed police officers were deployed to a polling station in Bimbagu and the Lutheran Church in Bunkpurugu, where election materials, including ballot papers, were confiscated to prevent the exercise from taking place.
The District Police Commander is also reported to have summoned party members to the police station and warned that anyone who defied the court order would be arrested.
Speaking in an interview with JoyNews, Constituency Chairman Thomas Elisha described the situation as unfortunate and accepted responsibility for the confusion. He explained that he failed to communicate the receipt of the court injunction to the election committee due to his busy schedule.
“It was on Friday evening that I received the court injunction, and yesterday I was attending a funeral at Nakpanduri, so it was today that I intended to call my people and inform them about the court letter. But I was in church when the District Police Commander called and told me there was tension in my constituency.”
The chairman called for calm and urged all members, especially the election committee, to respect the court order and suspend all election-related activities until the court rules otherwise.
“First of all, I have to sit the committee down and make everyone understand that the court has placed an injunction before I go out to inform the entire constituency that there will be no elections until we comply with what the court is telling us.”
Some of the applicants say they support the call for calm but insist on strict adherence to the rule of law as the matter remains before the court.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com