NPP Super Delegates Congress: Three Of Kennedy Agyapong's Polling Agents Narrate Ordeal During Elections
- Ken Agyapong's polling agents addressed a press conference on Monday, August 28, 2023, to narrate what they say were intimidation and assault meted out to them
- They did not explicitly say they were attacked and abused by agents affiliated with Dr Mahamudu Bawumia's camp, but they implied it
- All three polling agents said people who were resourced and backed by the system flouted the rules set by the party for the special voting
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Three polling agents of Kennedy Agyapong narrated harrowing stories of assault, threats and intimidation during the NPP Super Delegates Congress on Saturday, August 26, 2023.
Although the three agents did not explicitly say the people who threatened them were from the camp of Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumi, they implied it.
The three polling agents spoke during a press conference organised by Agyapong's campaign on Monday, August 28, 2023, to enable them to speak to the public about their ordeals.
Source: Facebook
The Kennedy Agyapong campaign also organised the presser to justify the outburst by the presidential hopeful during the elections.
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After Ken Agyapong's outburst, which went viral, NPP’s Ashanti Region Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, known popularly as Wontumi, had earlier said Ken’s outburst was influenced by misinformation.
Ken Agyapong came second in the delegates congress, prompting analysts to predict he could defeat Dr Bawumia in the final election on November 4. He will be among the final five that will compete in the flagbearer race.
Three polling agents narrate their ordeal
The first to speak was a lady who identified herself as Hajia Humukin Saed, the polling agent for the Kennedy Agyapong in the North East Region.
According to her, while performing her duties, she observed that contrary to the briefing all polling agents got before the start of the polls, there were a lot of unaccredited people at the polling centre.
She said she tried to get the police personnel present at the polling centre to enforce the rules but that did not work.
Looking sad and speaking in Twi, she made the following remarks:
“When I started to complain to the police officer, one of the people who had no business being there approached and asked the police officer what I was saying. I told him that what is happening at the centre was wrong because only 28 people are expected to vote here but there are more people here. His response was that all these people are our own party people but I insisted no, that is not what the rules say.
She said she also observed that some delegates revealed their ballots to show who they voted for.
According to her, the room where the voting was ongoing became very tense as delegates flagrantly ignored the agreed rules of the process.
"The tension inside was too much. When I initially entered, I went out to survey the place and when I re-entered, I was asked to use a different exit. I realised that the door was not opening when I tried to open it," she said, suggesting that the door was shut to trap nosy polling agents inside.
Hajia Humukin Saed said when she finally opened the door, she saw the media outside and started raising her voice to get their attention.
"While raising the alarm, a cameraman for TV3 attempted to speak to me so I said the electoral college was 28 but one guy challenged me that it was 30. But the guys who were not accredited to be present there rushed towards and challenged me.
She said she called Kennedy Agyapong's campaign manager who called the Inspector-General of Police, Dr George Akuffo Dampare, for redress.
“I was joined in a call with the campaign manager, the IGP and the regional police commander, so it was four of us on the line. IGP asked the police commander what was going on in his region but the man was narrating something totally different.
"So I interjected by saying no, that’s not true three times. Then IGP sternly asked me to shut up and asked me to get me off the line. Ten to 15 minutes later, my campaign manager called me that the IGP says if I go around spreading false information he will cause my arrest,” Hajia Saed said.
She said out of fear, she quickly took a flight out of the region to prevent a possible attack on her.
A second polling agent narrated similar experiences
Next to speak was a guy named Ganiru who shared a similar experience at the voting centre North East Region.
He also said delegates showed their ballots to others, suggesting that it was a way to ensure the delegates were all voting in a certain way.
“When the people were lining up to vote, they were all showing their vote to the next person following them. After voting, the first three people showed their votes to each other and confusion erupted at the turn of the fourth person, who is the regional youth organiser. When that happened, I had been told by my superior, the national campaign manager, not to sign the pink sheet.
Ganiru said after raising concerns, the regional chairman, whose name he did not mention, promised to give him and the agents of Alan Kyerematen and Kojo Poku GH¢2,000 to keep quiet but they refused. He said the regional chairman allegedly tried to increase the bribe money but they refused.
"So, afterwards we told him we were leaving, myself and the agent of Hon Kyerematen and Kojo Poku. Then he ran and locked the door asking that we better go and sign, if we didn't sign, we were not going to leave the hall. Then I said, 'Chairman we will not sign because we are under supervision unless they kill us…' He even told us that if we go out, he will allow boys to attack us,” Ganiru told the press.
Bono East polling agent claims he was assaulted
The last person to share his ordeal during the press conference was the Bono East polling agent, who identified himself as Charles Ampofo.
He appeared at the press conference wearing a neck brace. His face also looked swollen.
He claimed he was assaulted after insisting it was wrong for two regional executives of the party to represent Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia as polling agents. He said the rules guiding the elections did not support such a move.
"I told the regional police commander and some of his men that two regional party officers were seeking to represent the vice president contrary to the rules of the game. Then the police commander confirmed my position and called the EC official and the regional organiser, one Sulley, outside and explained to him."
"It was left with the deputy secretary, Liman Seidu, who was resisting. He was forcefully brought out by the police and when he came out he was engaged in an exchange with the police, demanding to know who lodged the complaint."
He said a policeman pointed in his direction to the two party executives that he was the one who lodged the complaint.
He alleged that the two approached him and demanded to know why he called the police on one of their colleagues but before he could explain to them that he was doing what was right, they pounced on him and attacked him.
"The two of them jumped on me and assaulted me. My phone fell and I even had GH¢40,000 which they took away from me,” he narrated his ordeal in Twi.
Kennedy Agyapong campaign team clarifies rant against Akufo-Addo and Bawumia
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh has reported in a separate story that Kennedy Agyapong’s campaign team has clarified the outburst of its aspirant during the NPP Super Delegates Congress.
The campaign team said Agyapong did not make any threats against President Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
The New Patriotic Party has said it will summon Agyapong to its disciplinary committee over the issue.
Boakye Agyarko describes delegates congress as a waste of time
Also, an NPP flagbearer aspirant, Boakye Agyarko, has called the format of the NPP Super Delegates Congress a waste of time.
Agyarko said there could have been a more efficient way of selecting the top five presidential aspirants in the NPP.
Agyarko finished fifth in the NPP Super Delegates Congress election alongside Francis Addai Nimoh.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
