The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has received a formal criminal complaint against Lydia Seyram Alhassan, the current Member of Parliament (MP) for Ayawaso West Wuogon, from John Dumelo, the National Democratic Congress' (NDC) parliamentary candidate.

Allegations that Alhassan served food at the special voting event held at the Legon Police Station polling station on December 2 are the basis for the complaint.

She was observed distributing food baskets to voters in line, an act captured on camera that has spurred discussions about voter influence and the fairness of the political process.

Lydia Alhassan responded to the controversy by claiming that her acts were solely motivated by compassion.

Speaking on Citi FM’s Breakfast Show with Bernard Avle on December 3, she dismissed the claims of any malicious intent, stating that she only sought to assist voters who appeared in need.

In a Facebook post sighted on Tuesday, December 3, John Dumelo wrote, “This afternoon [December 3] at about 1:00 pm, my team filed a formal criminal complaint against MS. LYDIA SEYRAM ALHASSAN (the sitting MP for our beloved Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency) at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

“The complaint entails video recordings of various conducts by MS. LYDIA SEYRAM ALHASSAN which we believe breach our criminal and electoral laws. My team also gave material information on plots by MS. LYDIA SEYRAM ALHASSAN to unlawfully influence voters on a larger scale come Saturday, December 7, 2024, when the main election will be held.

“We expect the OSP to take immediate and decisive steps to not only prevent MS. LYDIA SEYRAM ALHASSAN from repeating the unlawful behaviour but also to bring her and all her accomplices to book.”