Tamale South Threatens Election Boycott

Dr Afari Gyan – EC Boss

THE COALITION for Socialist Governance, a pro National Democratic Congress (NDC) group in the Tamale South constituency has threatened to stage a series of demonstrations if the constituency is not split by the Electoral Commission (EC) as they were made to believe. 

They have also warned of plans to boycott the December elections should the EC fail to initiate the necessary processes to have the Tamale South constituency split into two within the next two weeks. 

The group accused both the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale South and Minister of Communications Haruna Iddrisu and the EC of allegedly scheming to stop the creation of the Tamale West constituency which was to be carved from the Tamale Central and Tamale South constituencies. 

According to the group, it had been reliably informed that the action by the EC to withdraw the proposed Tamale West constituency was informed by a petition signed by people they described as rented individuals surrounded by self seeking persons to justify that residents of Tamale South were not ready for a new constituency. 

Addressing a press conference in Tamale, Secretary of the coalition, Abdul Mumin Sofo alleged that certain people in government were behind the withdrawal of the proposed new Tamale West constituency describing the action as hypocritical and selfish. 

He noted the carving of the constituency will promote development as the current constituency was too large for one person to manage. He further stated the intended new constituency will have 12 electoral areas with a voter population of 51,832 and therefore fulfill the requirement for the creation of a constituency.

Mr. Sofo warned those behind the plot to stop the creation of the new constituency to be mindful of their actions. 

He reiterated the group’s resolve to organize mass demonstrations and boycott the December general polls should the EC heed to the shameful machinations of what he described as greedy politicians who did not want the youth in the constituency to aspire to higher positions in politics.

 From Stephen Zoure, Tamale