By: Nicholas Osei-Wusu
Voting has begun at the Prempeh Assembly Hall in Kumasi in the election of the Ashanti region’s Representative to the Council of State.
Twelve persons have put themselves up for consideration by the Electoral College of 86.
Each of the 43 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Ashanti region has delegated two (2) members to participate in the election of the Council of State representative, which began at exactly 8 a.m.
The election occurs amidst a tightened security arrangement combining uniformed and plainclothes police personnel and other state security operatives.
All persons are subjected to strict security scrutiny at different points such that even delegates have had to subject themselves to a thorough search before accessing the voting booth at the Assembly Hall to cast their ballots.
There are also election observers and the media closely monitoring the process to ensure transparency.
Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Director of the Electoral Commission, Mr. Francis Osei Nsiah, has told GBC’s Correspondent, Nicholas Osei-Wusu, that none of the 12 candidates has withdrawn from the contest, contrary to speculations indicating that even the candidate whose name is being rumoured to have withdrawn from the race was present at a meeting held on Sunday February 16, between the Electoral Commission (EC) and the contestants without indicating her decision to stay out of the election.
Mr. Osei Nsiah also refuted claims that a court injunction has been placed on the process, hence voting taking place as scheduled.
The EC has had to re-run the election for the selection of the Ashanti region’s representative to the Council of State following a violent disruption of the original voting process last week.
Some muscular-built men, commonly known as ‘Machomen,’ invaded the voting centre at the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council during the sorting of the ballot, violently attacking people, including the election officials and journalists, before destroying the ballot papers without any winner known.
GBC is closely monitoring today’s election and will update our readers/audience later.
