A heated argument at the Awutu Senya West constituency in the Central region marred the smooth start of the New Patriotic Party primary in the area Saturday morning.
Incumbent Member of Parliament for the area, George Andah, who is seeking a second term had to interven to ensure calm was restored.
Our correspondent Adwoa Adobea Owusu reporting from the Awutu Senya constituency said the EC official, Robert Acheampong, found himself at the crossroads of competing ideas of the electoral law allowing persons with names in the voters’ register to vote as against what some aggrieved persons said the Constitution of the NPP bars persons performing the function of polling center executives to vote.
“Here is the case they only gave us the register and so whoever’s name is in the register is eligible to vote. The guy’s [referring to someone who wanted to vote] name is in the register and they [protesters] are also saying he is a polling center executive; per their [NPP’s] Constitution he is not supposed to vote. But, his name is in the register. That is what is causing the confusion,” Mr Acheampong explained.
A total of 647 delegates are expected to choose between the incumbent MP, George Nenyi Andah and a banker, Joseph Aidoo.
The Awutu Senya West is considered a swing seat because no Member of Parliament has been able to retain the seat. But the incumbent MP who doubles as the Deputy Communications Minister is confident of breaking the ‘one term’ rule.
This is the second time Mr. Andah is contesting his opponent, Joseph Aidoo.
By Solomon Mensah|editors.3news.com|Ghana