NPP-NDC clash did not affect Chereponi bye-election mood

Accra, Oct. 1, GNA - The clash between supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and New Patriotic Party (NPP) two days before the Chereponi bye-election did not "seem to affect the election mood" in the constituency, as was expressed by the 71 per cent voter turnout. "Indeed, some residents interviewed in the streets of Chereponi expressed the view that the violence and political intolerance witnessed prior to the bye-election had been imported into Chereponi by politicians outside of the constituency," CODEO said in its report on the vote issued in Accra on Thursday.

The report signed by Professor Mirinda Greenstreet and Mr Justice V.C.R.A.C. Crabbe, joint chairpersons, said the residents also contended that irrespective of their political persuasions, they had coexisted peacefully before and after all elections in the past. "The return of the social environment of Chereponi to normalcy and the thinning out of security personnel by Wednesday, September 30, a day after the elections, to a large extent give credence to the opinion expressed by residents of Chereponi," the report said, adding "Another successful bye-election has come to pass against the odds". The NDC candidate Samuel Abdulai Jabanyite won the election by defeating his closest rival Abukari Aminu Gariba of the NPP. CODEO said the bye-election ended peacefully with voting being without any major irregularities.

Security was tight with teams of between five and 20 policemen, some armed, deployed in and around the polling stations. It said polling station related incidents were few though there were frequent calls to the police and electoral officials from the political parties alleging harassment and suspicious ballot box stuffing by their opponents at some polling stations.

The police and EC officials promptly investigated these cases and did not find any proof.

It said: "By forenoon, some youth gangs believed to be party thugs from outside Chereponi arrived in the town and were seen marching menacingly from the outskirts to the centre of the town. The police sighted them and the hooligans were swiftly dispersed." CODEO said similar acts of thuggery were reported to have been foiled by the police and community leaders in other polling areas outside of Chereponi.