The leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Savelugu Constituency, has urged the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the constituency to desist from any plans of bussing or assisting foreigners and minors acquire voters ID in the upcoming limited registration exercise in the area.
The Electoral Commission will from Tuesday May 7, commence the limited registration exercise across the country.
At a press briefing on Monday May 6, 2024, the Communication Officer of the NDC in the Savelugu constituency N’yaba Abass Abdul Rahaman claimed that, the NDC in the Savelugu constituency had picked a signal indicating that the NPP in the constituency is planning to bus people and assist minors to acquire voters ID during the exercise.
He also alleges that, some information available to the NDC also show that, the ruling new patriotic party NPP in the savelugu constituency is also planning to deploy machomen to destabilize the process in the area.
“It is sad and unhealthy political discourse hearing and picking up signal purported to be plans being advanced by some unscrupulous members of the NPP in the Savelugu constituency in their purported attempt to bus strangers from outside the constituency most especially from ZOGBELI where series of meeting of a sort have been done and Tamale South constituency which is said to be a done deal constituency of the NDC to come and register as first timers”, they alleged.
“The NPP according to the information we are picking is also gearing towards their second busing of outsiders from ZOGBELI and Tamale South constituency and other constituencies as a proactive strategy for transfer of votes from one constituency to another when time for voter’s transfer is due just so, they could vote for the NPP Presidential and Parliamentary candidates in our dear constituency to win them power in the fourth coming 7th December general elections”.
Nyaba Abass thus warned that, “we shall resist fearless and will respond appropriate to the NPP by matching them not only booth for booth by shoulder to shoulder and slap to slap in their self-seeking attempt to perpetuate any illegality.”
Read the full statement below
PRESS CONFERENCE ON PLANS BY THE NPP TO BUS STRANGERS FOR REGISTRATION AND REGISTER MINORS IN THE IMPENDING LIMITED VOTER REGISTRATION EXERCISE IN THE SAVELUGU CONSTITUENCY.
Distinguished Ladies and gentlemen, let me on behalf of the entire membership of the National
Democratic Congress NDC in the Savelugu constituency and of course on behalf of the HON. Member of
Parliament for Savelugu Constituency HON. ALHAJI JACOB IDDRIS WUMBENKPANG and the entire Constituency Executives and Council of Elder of the NDC in the above-stated constituency warmly welcome you members of the inky fraternity for being present and attending upon this important but life changing press conference on profound issues that are pivoted on attempts to bus strangers into the above constituency for registration, registration of minors and plans to disrupt the impending limited voter registration exercise and other security related issues in the Savelugu constituency which we consider a well orchestrated plan intended to mar the beauty of the limited registration exercise.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the media, in appreciating and recognizing our evolving constitutional democracy and its values, permit me to quote from the wisdom words of the MP for Tamale South and former minority leader the HON. LAWYER HARUNA IDDRISU who once said “credible voter registration is a seenu quarnum to the conduct of free fair and credible elections”. Ladies and gentlemen, learning credence to the above, it is therefore, imperative that, much as article 45 of the 1992 constitution of the Republic of Ghana establishes the electoral commission clothes it with the sole responsibility of compiling credible voter register for purposes of elections and serving as an arbiter between and among political parties in determining which political party wins a democratically organized elections. Article 55 of the same constitution also paves way for the formation and existence of political parties. And in fact to quote the former MINORITY LEADER and MP for TAMALE SOUTH CONSTITUENCY the HON. LAWYER HARUNA IDDRISU” again “there is no electoral commission when they are no viable, efficient and functional political parties” Thus, the electoral commission must allow deeper consultations by taken up concerns of existing political parties seriously and demonstrate their a political colors before during and after the registration exercise.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, It is factually correct to mention that, Savelugu Constituency is one of the 18 constituencies of the Northern Region of Ghana and has since, the inception of Democratic rule and under the fourth republican constitution, enjoys relative peace in the pursuit of both inter and Intra political activism. We must not lose sight of the fact that, the NDC as a political party in the Savelugu constituency has for a while endured political opposition like the New Patriotic Party (NPP) which has recently metamorphosed into ( Nana People’s Party.)
Ladies and gentlemen, it is important to note that until the 2020 Presidential and parliamentary which the entire constituent witnessed for the first time the untimely death of SAMIRA ZAKARIA a 9 year old innocent girl who perhaps was qualified to vote but just for purposes joy in watching election events with her colleagues lost lost her in a bizarre manner. This is what the NDC wants wishes to prevent going into 2024 general elections.
It is however, sad and unhealthy political discourse hearing and picking up signal purported to be plans being advanced by some unscrupulous members of the NPP in the Savelugu constituency in their purported attempt to bus stranger from outside the constituency most especially from ZOGBELI where series of meeting of sort have been done and Tamale South constituency which is said to be a done deal constituency of the NDC to come and register as first timers. No wonder that the NPP parliamentary candidate known as HAJIA FAHIA ABDUL AZIZ who herself in a stranger is working towards busing inn strangers.
As if that is not enough, the NPP according to the information we are picking is also gearing towards their second busing of outsiders from ZOGBELI and Tamale South constituency and other constituencies as a proactive strategy for transfer of votes from one constituency to another when time for voters transfer is due just so, they could vote for the NPP Presidential and Parliamentary candidates in our dear constituency to win them power in the fourth coming 7th December general elections. This we say, is highly unacceptable and as NDC membership will not allow it fester until lay down proceeding of registration is duly established.
Another sad and unfortunate development we are picking from the NPP membership is the purported plans once again to register as many minors as possible for the reason being that, they are easily convinced with material and other monetary gifts with which the NPP allegedly proposed to execute in the impending limited registration exercise.
More importantly, the NPP in our dear constituency is said to have advanced plans towards disrupting the whole registration process by engaging in needless arguments ranging from issues of queuing NPP perceived members in-front of the queues, deliberate attempts to challenging perceived members of the NDC from registering, stationing well-built men( MACHO MEN) to scare away eligible registrants most especially upon realizing and imagining that, perceived members of the NDC are making more and more headway items registration. This, when executed or accomplished by the wounded NPP in the Savelugu Constituency ladies and gentlemen, will mar the beauty of our political discourse as a constituent.
It must however be said ladies and gentlemen of the media that, it is for the above reasons that NDC in the Savelugu is notifying the Electoral Commission of Ghana, the Ghana police service, National
Intelligence Bureau NIB, the Overload of Savelugu traditional area HIS ROYAL MAJESTY NAA BAKPEM YOO NAA ANDANI YAKUBU ABDULAI (V) to as a matter of urgency and in the ultimate interest of peace and harmony in the Savelugu Constituency, immediately intervene in the above-raised issues to for-store any possible clash especially between the two dominant political parties. Parents whose children might used in the commission of those crimes by the NPP are therefore advised to act swiftly or else, when those children are caught, they will certainly laugh at the wrong sides of their mouths.
As a responsible and focused opposition political party, we urge and advise the NPP in the constituency to rather channel their energies and resources in uniting the party at the constituency level by recognizing the former MP HON. MOHAMMED ABDUL SOMED GUNU and his entire larger support base for their immense contribution to the success of the NPP in previous elections which accorded the NPP one term Parliamentary seat of the Savelugu constituency.
In conclusion, members of the media, let me be quick to put two and two together by stating that , as members of the NDC in the Savelugu constituency, we shall resist fearless and will respond appropriate to the NPP by matching them not only booth for booth by shoulder to shoulder and slap to slap in their self seeking attempt to perpetuate any illegality so that we will have been able to strongly restore the dignity and sanctity of our electoral system.
LONG LIVE GHANA, LONG NDC, LONG LIVE NORTHERN REGION AND LONG LIVE SAVELUGU CONSTITUENCY.
Thank you.
Signed……….
NYABA ABASS ABDUL RAHAMAN.
NDC COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE,
SAVELUGU CONSTITUENCY.
Story By: Alhassan Yakubu |www.diamondfmonline.com |Ghana.
