Subin NPP braces for re-run of primary after agitation

National Executive Committee of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is set to overturn last Saturday’s parliamentary primary in the Subin constituency after grave and widespread rigging.

Despite a court injunction, Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, who has been described by his critics as a domineering politician, with the support of some executives disregarded a court order and organized the election in the absence of the Electoral Commission.

The ‘shambolic election’ saw the incumbent Member of Parliament, Eugene Boakye Antwi romping home with more than 70 per cent of the total votes cast to beat his contender, Joseph Boakye Danquah.

The declaration of the election result, according to our checks, have led to widespread agitations in the constituency, with some delegates threatening to withdraw their support for the party, if the result is not overturned.

On Thursday, June, 24, 2020, JB Danquah lodged an official complaint with a strongly-worded petition, calling for immediate annulment of the election.

The petition cited several breaches of the party’s constitution and presence of a court injunction to drum home the need for the cancellation of the election.

Reports say people were brought in from Kumasi’s popular meat market, Mayanka to vote in favour of the incumbent, who has since hailed the results of the flawed election. In an interview on Asempa FM on Thursday, JB Danquah said, "the electoral process could not be said to have adequately complied with the standards for elections. It is a bogus election."

He further called on his supporters and the party’s hierarchy not to recognize the results of the election, and demanded ‘serious punishment’ for those who took part in the fraudulent election.

"Intimidation has been the hallmark of the elections at Subin from the onset. It is also pretty clear that there were significant efforts to disenfranchise people in the run-up to the election and on the day itself," JB Danquah intimated. On Friday, 50 delegates including Isaac Nimako, Richard Owusu Nti and Yaw Boafo secured an injunction restraining the party’s election committee and the Electoral Commission from holding the primaries.

The ex-parte injunction, which was granted by a Kumasi High Court was effective from Friday to Monday, 22nd June, 2020, according to reports.

“It is hereby ordered that the respondent and all persons claiming through the respondent (EC) refrain from holding the election scheduled to take place on Saturday, 20th June, 2020,” the court ruled on Friday.