Party supporters of Mr Kenneth Kuranchie, a contestant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the just ended NPP Parliamentary Primaries in the Okaikoi North constituency have petitioned the Dispute Resolution Committee of the party for a recount, revote and the removal of all unlawful proxy votes from the actual votes of the parliamentary primaries of the party held on the 20th of June 2020.

The petition dated the 21st of June and signed by the secretary Mr John Abayitey said they would never accept the parliamentary primary results of the elections because the constituency executives, as well as the Electoral Commission officials failed to give a copy of the approved proxy list to the parliamentary contestant, Mr. Kenneth Agyei Kuranchie.

According to the petitioners, the Electoral Commission officials and Okaikoi North Constituency executives took the law into their hands and generated illegal proxy voters' names on the blind side of Mr. Kenneth Kuranchie and the NPP National Executives. These illegitimate proxy voters, voted for Hon. Fuseini Issah, the incumbent MP for Okaikoi North constituency.

The dubious proxy voters were about thirty (30) who voted for Hon. Fuseini Issah. The actions of the North Okaikoi constituency executives and Electoral Commission officials is an infringement of the electoral law which requires every parliamentary candidate equal opportunity as far as election is concerned.

“Therefore we are appealing to the dispute resolution committee for a revote or recounting of votes and all illegal proxy votes must be recalled from the actual votes,” The statement said.

The Petitioners said they would never accept the parliamentary election results because the Okaikoi North Constituency Executives informed Mr Kenneth kuranchi that only seven (7) persons applied for proxy votes but they were not approved that is why they couldn’t give him the copy of the proxy voters list. Surprisingly, when the Electoral Commission officials were conducting the parliamentary elections at the various polling stations, we got to know that some polling stations had proxy votes without approval from the NPP national office. Contrary to what the executives had told Mr. Kuranchie.

They said neither the Electoral Commission officials nor Okaikoi North Constituency Executives gave Mr. Kenneth Agyei Kuranchie any copy of the parliamentary election proxy voters list before or after the elections.

“The Electoral Commission officials unlawfully added thirty (30) votes to Hon. Fuseini Issah’s votes purported to be proxy votes. Eventually, the Electoral Commission officials declared him the winner of the parliamentary elections of the Okaikoi North Constituency. We are so disappointed that the Electoral Commission officials connived with Okaikoi north constituency executives to rig the parliamentary elections in favour of Hon. Issah Fuseini,” the statement said.

The petitioners noted that the Constituency Youth Organizer, Mr Appenteng officially wrote a letter from United States of America(USA) to the constituency executives that due to the Covid-19 pandemic he is unable to come to Ghana and vote, therefore he was applying for proxy by letter, quite strangely his application for the proxy vote was not approved.

“However it came to our notice that delegates who have died long ago and were buried miraculously applied for proxy vote and their proxy vote application were approved and NPP party members in the constituency voted on their behalf,” The statement noted.

This is another reason why we are appealing to the Dispute Resolution Committee to investigate whether the names of our beloved delegates who passed away long ago were actually included in the Okaikoi North Constituency proxy voter lists. The petitioners want to know when their beloved dead delegates applied for proxy and who approved their proxy application.

The petitioners believe that these developments are electoral malpractices that happened in Okaikoi North Constituency. They said no delegate who has passed away has ever mandated anybody to vote on their behalf and this is also another reason why they will not accept the results declared by the Electoral Commission officials.

“If the law requires that every parliamentary candidate to have the list of legitimate voters before the election, then we would succinctly say that the Electoral Commission officials and constituency executives of Okaikoi North intentionally denied Mr Kenneth Agyei Kuranchie his right to have a copy of the full list of legitimate voters names before the election in order to rig the parliamentary election in favour of Hon. Fuseini Issah," The statement said.

According to the supporters, electoral irregularities took place during the parliamentary primaries in Okaikoi North constituency and for this reason, they would never accept the final results declared by the Electoral Commission.

The Petitioners said Mr. Moses Abor, the Greater Accra Youth Organizer of the NPP party and his accomplices and Mr. Ernest of the National Security from H.E.Nana Akuffo Addos office, Jubilee House, one Ibrahim (Mr Freddy Blays driver) heaped a big reproach and shame on NPP party’s ideals and philosophy; “Development in Freedom.” Mr Moses Abhor and his accomplices were intimidating our dear party members in Okaikoi North in order to pave way for the Electoral Commission and Okaikoi North Executives to rig the parliamentary election in favour of Hon. Fuseini Issah.

For example Moses and national security using Hyundai H1 van with Dr. Mahmud Bawumia and H.E. Nana Addo pictures(campaign poster) on the Hyundai van as we can recall leveled strong beatings on Madam Akosua Kwakyiwa, Okaikoi constituency incumbent women’s organizer, and Mr Barffour Akoto, Okaikoi North constituency former Secretary whom they suspected as supporters of Mr Kenneth Agyei Kuranchi. We are pleading to your honorable committee to ensure that these culprits are severely punished to serve as a deterrent to others.

“As members of the NPP party which upholds “the rule of law” to the highest esteem, we are petitioning your honorable Dispute Resolution Committee to regularize the Okaikoi North Constituency Parliamentary primary election results amicably, rather than take the law into our hands and violently express our grievances, certainly our dear NPP party is a democratic party who believes in the “rule of law” as paramount in resolving our differences peacefully, especially when electoral conflicts occur among us.”

The petitioners believe that the Dispute Resolution Committee has the mandate to order the Electoral Commission officials and OKaikoi Constituency Executives to submit the list of proxy voters for verification. We are therefore appealing to the Committee to ensure that there is sanctity in Okaikoi North parliamentary election and the result is devoid of prejudice and illegal manipulations of figures in favour of unwanted parliamentary candidate.

They said it is very suicidal for Okaikoi North constituency to choose a lawmaker (MP) by using violence, lawlessness and mischievous means. This is because a lawmaker must be an exemplary person worthy of emulation. "Therefore we are calling for a revote or recounting and the removal of all unlawful proxy votes from the actual votes to enable credible person like Mr. Kenneth Kuranchie to represent Okaikoi North Constituency in Parliament," they said.