Disgruntled supporters re-ignite controversies

A GROUP of disgruntled supporters of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) have re-ignited controversies that surrounded the 2008 general elections, after publicly declaring that they seized ballot boxes and manipulated the elections in the Tain constituency.

The aggrieved NDC supporters, who have since announced their defection to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), citing reasons of neglect and dejection, claimed they were used by the ruling party in the first and second rounds of the 2008 elections, to seize ballot boxes and perform a number of illegal operations across the country, with the promise that they would be offered jobs when the NDC eventually won power.

But, the supporters, who describe themselves as Buffalo Group, contend that they have been offered a raw deal by the NDC, and as such, have defected to the opposition New Patriotic Party.

Wearing red arm-bands and chanting war songs, the embittered supporters, numbering over 570, tore NDC T-shirts and destroyed other party paraphernalia in a demonstration of their anger at the government and the ruling party.

They further displayed their NDC membership cards, ostensibly to authenticate their true membership, and clear all doubts concerning their association with the ruling party.

The spokesperson for the group, Alidu Ibrahim, said they felt betrayed by the government and the NDC, after risking their lives and that of their families to ensure victory for the party in the 2008 elections.

'Now when you call them, they don't pick their phones; they only deceive us with cups of sugar and mattresses, but we are worth more than that,' he bemoaned.

He said currently, their faith in the NDC had completely faded away, and that there was no way they would return to the party, stressing, 'We have resolved to join the NPP, and we will vote for them in 2012.'

Meanwhile, the Electoral Commission (EC) has ordered for the arrest and prosecution of the defected supporters for claiming that they stole ballot boxes and rigged the elections.

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) at the commission, Christian Owusu Parry, told an Accra-based radio station, Joy 99.7FM, that the claim by the defected supporters amounted to a criminal offence, and as such they must be arrested.

But, checks from the Regional Directorate of the EC yesterday, indicated that the commission was yet to be notified on the issue.

When the Regional Police Commander, DCOP Patrick Timbillah, was contacted to find out whether any arrest had been made, he told this reporter that the police could not make any arrest, unless it receives official complaint from the EC.

'We cannot effect any arrest; the Commission would have to officially make a complaint to us, before we make any moves,' he said.


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