Yendi: NPP youth vandalise party property over polling station, electoral areas elections
Some youth of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Yendi Constituency in the Northern Region on Sunday went on a rampage and vandalised the party’s office over an alleged manipulation of the constituency membership list for the polling station and electoral area coordinators election.
They also burnt party paraphernalia and destroyed signposts of the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Alhaji Farouk Aliu Mahama.
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They accused the MP of attempting to expunge names of perceived supporters of the MASLOC boss, Hajia Abibata Shanni Mahama Zakariah from the register, to get his favourite persons elected.
Concerns
According to them, the register being used for the exercise had unapproved names and individuals captured in it, which was against the constitution of the party.
One of the aggrieved supporters who spoke to Graphic Online said they would not accept any attempt by the leadership of the party to impose their will on the electorates.
“In fact, what we realised was that they have put family and friends and their favourite names in the register. The constituency secretary met polling station chairmen, secretaries and coordinators and informed them that no existing polling station executive will be removed from the album but on Sunday the album was on social media circulating with some members names removed” he claimed.
Reaction
When contacted, the Constituency Secretary, Mr Fuseini Bawah Zakaria declined to comment on the matter.
Meanwhile, a group calling itself Concern Youth of NPP at a press conference in Yendi on Monday refuted claims that some names were expunged from the register and that it was compiled based on family and friends.
The Spokesperson of the group, Mr Mohammed Amin Zakaria who addressed the media said the register was compiled based on the laid down guidelines of the party.
He urged the youth to use the appropriate mechanism to address their grievance than resorting to protest which was against the party’s electoral guidelines.
This comes after the Party’s leadership issued a warning that it will expel members who do not use internal mechanisms to address their concerns.