Rampaging supporters of Muntaka’s rival burn car tyres, NDC flag

There is tension at the office of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ashanti Region as irate supporters of parliamentary aspirant, Mr Mubarick Masawudu, went on a rampage.

Dozens of Mr Masawudu’s supporters matched to the regional office of the party in the evening of Friday, 19 July 2019 and set car tyres and NDC flags ablaze, to register their pleasure against the decision of the party in refusing to accept Mr Masawudu.

Class FM’s Ashanti Regional correspondent, Elisha Adarkwa reported that the youth have threatened to defect to the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) if the NDC does not allow democracy to prevail in the party.

It took the intervention of six heavily armed police officers deployed from the Zongo Police Station, led by Divisional Commander Ameyaw Afriyie, to restore calm at the office and disperse the supporters. No arrest has been made yet.

Mr Masawudu, who is vying to contest the incumbent MP Muntaka Mubarak, has had his forms rejected by the party for the second day as all attempts including a trip to the national headquarters of the party in Accra has yielded no results for him to be included in the process.

On Thursday, 18 July 2019, Mr Masawudu was locked out of the party’s regional officer together with his supporters when they went there to file his nomination. This compelled Mr Masawudu to travel to the party headquarters in Accra on Friday but he was prevented yet again from submitting his nomination forms.

Mr Masawudu subsequently accused the party officials of deliberating frustrating his efforts in order to monopolize the processes for the incumbent MP.



Meanwhile, Mr Umar Yasir, an executive of the Mallam Kataki branch of the NDC in the constituency has accused the national executives of the party, including the General Secretary Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia of scheming to ensure that Muntaka Mubarak, the current MP for Asawase, goes unopposed.

However, the party explained that Mr Masawudu cannot be part of the process because he is under suspension.