Politics of Friday, 22 February 2019
Source: citinewsroom.com
2019-02-22
Joshua Alabi, aspiring flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress
An aspiring flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Joshua Alabi is alleging some irregularities ahead of party’s presidential election tomorrow, Saturday.
According to him, his team has evidence that some seals on bags containing election materials have been broken.
“The seals on the bags were broken,” he said on Eyewitness News on Friday.
On whether he would withdraw from the race over the irregularities, Joshua Alabi said “we are going ahead with the election.”
He said his team spotted such discrepancies in the Ashanti and Central regions.
In a separate statement, Joshua Alabi’s team among others accused some regional election directors of turning a blind eye to the alleged compromised process.
“The Prof. Joshua Alabi Campaign Team has with a heavy heart observed that the processes leading to tomorrow’s NDC’s contest in search of a flag bearer to lead the National Democratic Congress into the 2020 presidential election has been grossly compromised ahead of the contest. Seals of the seven aspirants that of the EC and the NDC affixed to the bags containing the ballot papers were broken before they arrived at the various destinations in the regions.”
“In the Central Region for instance, protests from agents of aspirants who witnesses the anomalies were ignored by regional elections directors of NDC who proceeded to repackage the ballot papers into brown envelopes for dispatch to various constituencies,” the statement added.
Below is the full statement from the Alabi team:
“The Prof. Joshua Alabi Campaign Team has with a heavy heart observed that the processes leading to tomorrow’s NDC’s contest in search of a flag bearer to lead the National Democratic Congress into the 2020 presidential election has been grossly compromised ahead of the contest.
Seals of the two aspirants, that of the EC and the NDC affixed to the bags containing the ballot papers were broken before they arrived at the various destinations in the regions. In Central Region for instance, protests from agents of aspirants who witnessed the anomalies were ignored by regional elections directors of NDC who proceeded to repackage the ballot papers into brown envelopes for dispatch to various constituencies. These and many more infringement of the processes have been identified and evidence exist to that effect.”
Responding to the allegations, Joshua Akamba, National Organiser expressed shock over the claims.
“I’m shocked about what I’m hearing that they had issue with regards to the security of the ballot papers. It was dispatched together by the police. So it is strange,” he said on Eyewitness News.
Feeding and transportation rumours
Just yesterday, Prof Joshua Alabi also debunked rumours that a one of the candidates is taking responsibility for the transportation and feeding of the delegates.
He argued that the rumours are being peddled to give that particular candidate an upper hand over the others.
“The campaign team of Prof Joshua Alabi, a National Democratic Congress Flagbearer aspirant, has learnt with dismay, information making the rounds among the NDC delegates who are to vote on Saturday, 23rd February 2019, that feeding and transportation for delegates during tomorrow’s election of a Flagbearer is being sponsored by a particular candidate.”
“This falsehood being communicated to delegates is intended to unfairly give that particular candidate an edge over the other contestants, a statement from the team indicated.
