Gun shots nearly marred the ongoing limited Voter’s registration exercise at the EC’s office in the Sagnarigu Municipality in the early hours of Sunday, 26th May 2024, around 8:00am.
Reports gathered at the scene accused the NDC in the Sagnarigu constituency for triggering the skirmishes at the registration center as some party’s thugs fired gunshots into the air in protest of registration of non-residents onto the Voter’s register of EC in the Sagnarigu.
This follows alleged busing of non residents, mainly SHS students conveyed in a vehicle to register their details onto the Voter’s register under the influence of Parliamentary Candidate of the NPP in the Sagnarigu constituency, Hon. Felicia Tetteh.
Chaos and anarchy ensued between supporters of the both NDC and NPP, resulting to destruction of plastic chairs which were broken into pieces as a result of the confusion.
Following the incident, party stalwarts belonging to both political divide stormed the scene to placate matters and calmed nerves of the raged parties’ supporters whose action might have escalated the already flared tempers.
Registration process which was not effective therein has started following the intervention of leaders of the political parties in the Northern region.
Meanwhile, leadership of NPP and NDC together with Sagnarigu EC Municipal Director and Municipal Police Command were locked up in marathon meeting at police headquarters to thrash out concerns relative to the violent incident.
The Parties Leaders at the meeting were NPP 1st Vice Chairman, Alhaj Sunday and Tamale North NPP Constituency Chairman, Chairman ‘Short’. While the NDC side had the former Northern Regional Secretary, Lawyer Ahmed Abdul Rauf and the regional organizer, Alhaj Baba Zee at meeting.
Even though both parties refused to speak to the media after the meeting, but one could deduced that they reached a middle ground on the issues at stake given their demeanors.
As at the time of filing this report, calm was restored, registration process was smooth and going on successfully at the Sagnarigu EC’s office without any hitches with registrants on the queue ready to register.
Speaking to the media, representatives of the parties expressed satisfaction regarding the exercise so far especially with regards to extension of limited registration exercise to 2 days by EC. They believe it will afford them opportunity to register eligible voters onto the register.
Story by: Inusah Dondaliya