Sagnarigu: NDC bans picture taking of votes to avoid confusion in primaries

Correspondence from Northern Region

The Sagnarigu Constituency Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fuseini Hamza has warned that the party will not allow any delegate to take their phones into the polling booths on the May 13 presidential and parliamentary primaries of the party.

He said the NDC was aware that some delegates may be planning to take pictures of their votes for unknown reasons, noting that the party will liaise with the security agencies to ensure that no delegate violates the rules.

"We have discussed that with the security, no one should go in there with a phone for the purposes of taking pictures. If we cannot prevent you from holding your phones, we will make sure that you don't use it to take pictures [of your vote] that will bring about confusion in the hall", Alhaji Hamza told

GhanaWeb in Tamale.

The NDC Secretary said the constituency was well prepared for the elections, explaining that all arrangements including venues, accreditations and security had already been sorted.

He was optimistic that the presidential primaries would be held the same day, despite the court injunction. Alhaji Hamza said they at the constituency level have successfully compiled their album and it will be ready for the parliamentary primaries on Saturday.

“We don’t have a problem regarding that. We have actually compiled the album and sent to national. What we’re all waiting is to see what will come out of the National because we don’t know exactly the problem is. But the national has given us the assurance that they will do their best today and tomorrow

to solve the problems so that by Saturday, the elections will come off” he said.

A total of 1,330 delegates made up branch and constituency executives, former appointees, regional executives resident in the constituency, founding fathers and council of elders of the party will be voting in the elections.

The Sagnarigu Constituency is the only constituency of the four constituencies in the Greater Tamale Metropolis where the MP will be facing a contest.

The others; Tamale North, Tamale Central and Tamale South all have their MPs going unopposed.

Alhaji ABA Fuseini, MP for Sagnarigu is facing stiff competition from four other candidates; Mr Attah Issah- the party's National Accountant, Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed- a second-time Aspirant, Alhaji Hamza Bukari Zakaria and Abdul Majeed Alhassan.

In the 2019 primaries, Alhaji ABA Fuseini narrowly won with a vote difference of less than 50, raising concerns amongst members of the NDC over the safety of the Sagnarigu seat for the party. It has been a safe seat for the NDC since its creation in 2012.

Saturday's elections at the Waec hall in the Sagnarigu Municipality will determine the future of the Sagnarigu seat for the party as critics of the MP claim he has not done enough to improve the fortunes of the NDC in the area.