Tension is mounting within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Atwima Kwanwoma Constituency of the Ashanti Region, following concerns raised by the party’s women’s wing over an alleged bloated voters’ register ahead of Saturday’s constituency elections.
The women are calling on the party’s regional and national executives to urgently intervene in the matter to prevent further escalation of tensions ahead of the polls.
Addressing a press conference, the Atwima Kwanwoma NDC Women Organiser, Afia Serwaa, alleged that the names of several women and other longstanding party members had been removed from the party’s register, a development she said was creating confusion and mistrust among members.
She claimed that more than 700 party members had been removed from the register and replaced with names of individuals she described as non-party members.
“Over 700 party members, including women, have had their names removed and replaced with those of non-party members. In some instances, a woman’s name appears alongside a man’s photograph and telephone number. We suspect this is a deliberate attempt by some individuals to manipulate the elections in their favour,” she alleged.
Ms. Serwaa further claimed that the matter had been reported to the party’s regional executives on several occasions, but no action had been taken to address their concerns.
She therefore appealed to the national executives to intervene before Saturday’s elections, warning that the alleged irregularities could undermine the party’s unity in the constituency.
According to her, the conduct of some party executives was gradually eroding confidence in the party’s internal structures in Atwima Kwanwoma.
Some aspirants who also spoke to the media expressed frustration over the alleged irregularities, warning that failure to resolve the concerns before the elections could trigger further unrest within the constituency.
They accused some individuals of seeking to use their personal interests to influence the party’s internal electoral process.
Some of the women who attended the press conference also threatened to stage a naked demonstration if their names were not restored to the party’s register before the elections.
They alleged that some aspirants were attempting to manipulate the electoral process to secure victory for their personal interests.
The concerns come ahead of Saturday’s constituency elections, with the aggrieved members urging the party’s leadership to urgently investigate the allegations and ensure a credible, transparent and peaceful electoral process.