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For greater good of NPP and peace, unity in Walewale, I will no longer be a candidate for MP - Lariba Zuweira Abudu withdraws

Enoch Darfah Frimpong Politics Sep - 10 - 2024 , 18:32

The incumbent Member of Parliament for Walewale, Hajia Lariba Zuweira Abudu has withdrawn from the Walewale New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primary.

She announced the decision in a letter dated September 10, 2024 and addressed to the General Secretary of the NPP.

"Following the inconclusive re-run of the parliamentary primary in the Walewale constituency yesterday (with the Electoral Commission unable to declare a result as a result of an unfortunate incident), I have decided that in the interest of the greater good of the New Patriotic Party and peace and unity in the Walewale constituency, I will no longer be a candidate for MP in the 2024 elections. I am therefore formally withdrawing from the contest," she wrote.

"I would like to thank the party for the honour done me in representing my constituency over the last four years and can assure the party of my continued support in the 2024 election campaign," she added.

In January, Dr Kabiru Mahama, a special aide to Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, narrowly defeated the incumbent Hajia Lariba Zuweira Abudu in a tightly contested primary.

The election saw Dr Kabiru winning with 345 votes against Hajia Lariba's 338 votes.

Unsatisfied with the outcome, Hajia Lariba Abudu headed to court to challenge the results, citing electoral irregularities and malpractice.

The Tamale High Court last week annulled the results and ordered a re-run.

The re-run was held on Monday, September 9, 2024 but it ended in confusion as the Electoral Commission was unable to sort and count the ballot papers at the end of the poll following a disruption and destruction of some of the ballot papers.

Confusion

There was confusion at the re-run of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Walewale constituency parliamentary primary on Monday.

Following the disruption of the ballot sorting which led to the destruction of some ballot papers, the Electoral Commission (EC) declared the Monday voting as null and void.

The EC therefore referred the decision to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to take a decision on the way forward since it was an internal party event to select a nominee to contest the December parliamentary election on the ticket of the party.

The party will now have to take a decision on the way forward immediately before the filing of nominations for the December 2024 parliamentary election in the Walewale constituency closes by the end of the week.

For greater good of NPP and peace, unity in Walewale, I will no longer be a candidate for MP - Lariba Zuweira Abudu withdraws - Graphic Online pic.twitter.com/oFa7gvCBH6
— DailyGraphic GraphicOnline (@Graphicgh) September 10, 2024

How voting started on Monday

The voting process itself went smoothly after the venue for the primary had been changed earlier in the day.

During the sorting of ballot papers after the voting ended around 4pm, one person snatched some ballot papers and attempted to bolt with it. He reportedly destroyed some ballot papers.

But the police intervened, collected the papers and apprehended the suspect.

Some gunshots were heard, said to have been fired by the police as warning shots in an attempt to maintain sanity.

The suspect is currently in police custody.

The party executives then intervened to maintain calm and the ballot papers were transported to the police station.

Gabriel Manu, the North East Regional Director of the Electoral Commission said the process started in the morning and everything went on well.

He said voting was finished successfully and when they started sorting the ballot papers, at a time just about 10 ballot papers had been sorted, "a man from no where came in and just took some ballot papers, destroyed some of them, but the police arrested him, put him in handcuffs."

Mr Manu said he heard a gunshot when the individual snatched the ballot papers when the sorting was ongoing.

However, after examining the ballot papers later at the police station in the night and taking into consideration the ballot papers that were destroyed, the Electoral Commission declared the voting as null and void.

A total of 842 delegates were expected to vote.