NPP orphan primary: How a 'violet bag' caused 'voilence' at Ablekuma Central

Pandemonium broke at the Mataheko Police Station Park in the Ablekuma Central Constituency during the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primary, after delegates abandoned voting and followed someone with a violet bag.

The bag contained small sealed envelopes.

A delegate, who sought anonymity, told the Ghana News Agency that the envelopes contained money for delegates, who voted for a particular aspirant.

Scores of delegates, including the elderly and persons with disabilities, about an hour into the election, deserted the voting and went after the ‘Manager’ of the bag.

Quickly, a long queue was formed ,with jostling and shoving for the money.

It was not clear, which candidate was giving out the money.

However, the tent under, which the money was being shared had the image of Mr Collins Amoah, one of the four aspirants.

A total of 1,571 delegates were expected to vote to elect one of the four aspirants to represent the Party in the parliamentary election next year.

The aspirants were Mr Jefferson, Sackey, a Presidential Staffer, Mr Ebenezer Nartey, a former Member of Parliament, Mr Collins Amoah and Mr Larry Angered Adjei.

Jefferson Sackey won the race with 539 votes while Ebenezer Nartey had 441 votes, Collins Amoah got 493 votes and Larry Anyetei Adjei 11 votes.