By Kingsley Mamore
Dambai (O/R), July 17, GNA – The New Patriotic Party (NPP) constituency office in Krachi East was temporarily locked with red bands on Thursday by aggrieved youth protesting the disputed declaration of results in the Constituency Organizer election held at Asukawkaw Senior High School.
The contest was between Mr. Justice Mensah and the incumbent Organizer, Mr. Jacob Addo.
Initial counting of ballots reportedly showed Mr Mensah leading by three votes.
However, following a request by the incumbent for a recount, electoral officials conducted another count, after which Mr Addo was declared the winner by a margin of one vote.
The reversal of the results sparked dissatisfaction among some supporters of Mr Mensah, who questioned the outcome and demanded further clarification from the party’s electoral officials.
In protest, some youth reportedly converged at the constituency office in Dambai and tied red bands around the entrance, symbolically locking the office and signalling that normal party activities should be suspended until their grievances were addressed.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), the Krachi East Constituency Chairman of the NPP, Mr Samuel Yaw Owusu, said he had earlier directed the newly elected Youth Organizer and some constituency executives to clean and prepare the office for official work following the elections.
According to him, while those arrangements were underway, he received information that a group of aggrieved youth had arrived at the office, tied red bands around the premises and declared that the office should remain closed until issues surrounding the Organizer election had been resolved.
Mr Owusu appealed to party members to remain calm and exercise restraint, stressing that the strength of the NPP lies in its unity and adherence to democratic principles.
He urged supporters of both contestants to respect the party’s electoral processes and the decisions of the electoral authorities while pursuing any concerns through the party’s established internal mechanisms.
“The elections have come and gone, and as a party we must now focus on reconciliation and rebuilding unity. Every member is important to the growth of the party, and we should avoid actions that could create division,” he said.
The Chairman assured members that the constituency leadership would engage all stakeholders, including the contestants, their supporters and the regional leadership where necessary, to resolve the misunderstanding peacefully and preserve party unity.
He expressed confidence that the concerns raised by the aggrieved youth would be resolved through dialogue and urged members to avoid actions capable of undermining the party’s image ahead of future political activities.
Mr Owusu further disclosed that arrangements were underway to reopen the constituency office and restore normal administrative and organizational activities once consultations with the concerned parties had been concluded.
Some party members who spoke to the GNA expressed hope that the matter would be resolved quickly through dialogue, emphasizing the need for unity as the party prepares for future electoral and organizational activities.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah /Audrey Dekalu