E.T. Mensah accepts defeat but alleges vote cheating
One of the longest serving Members of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Mr Enoch Teye Mensah who was defeated at the weekend’s National Democratic Congress parliamentary primaries has said he respects the decision of the voters.
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However, he alleged there was cheating and rigging in the polls. He lost the NDC parliamentary ticket to his protégé, Mr Samuel Nartey George.
Certified results by the Electoral Commission showed Mr George polled 4,910 votes representing 63.4 per cent of valid votes cast as against 2,831 by Mr Mensah who has been in Parliament since January 1997.
E.T. Mensah and Sam George locked horns in what was popularly referred to as “David and Goliath” fight in their determination to thump each other to lead the NDC in Ningo Prampram.
The polls was characterized by allegations and counter allegations by both sides with spots of attacks and heavy security presence. The elections, scheduled for Saturday was postponed to Sunday after the party executives at the national level intervened.
Mr Mensah in accepting defeat told Joy News there were serious rigging especially at the Ningo electoral area. He claimed in certain electoral areas, the number of registered voters was 809, but his opponent, Sam George, polled 1,245.
“…the land guards that came chased our polling agents away. [The land guards said] ‘your life or you leave here’. They [voters] were bussed on Sunday from Ashaiman – three Metro Mass buses. We had a hint that he [Sam George] intentionally created the kind of confusion that he created on Saturday so that the [voting process] would not come on because the people that he needed to come [and vote] were also voting on that same day,” Mr Mensah told Joy News but however said he would not challenge the results.
"People say I should contest the results. What for? I can make a formal complaint to the regional party, because if we should go back take all the documents, voters register, votes cast in the ballot box and cross check, you find out that it's been flawed," the Ningo Prampram MP said. He said the outcome of Sunday's polls is a lesson for him.
