Kumasi at standstill as NPP protests December 7 polls

Business activities for several hours stopped in the nation’s second largest city, Kumasi, as thousands of supporters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) massed on the streets to protest what they claim was massive electoral cheating in the December 7 polls.

This comes as the party readies to go to the Supreme Court to challenge the presidential ballot results announced by the Electoral Commission (EC), the constitutional body charged with the conduct of elections in the country.

Clad in party paraphernalia with red ribbons tied to their heads and arms they marched through some of the streets amidst brass band music, blowing of “Vuvuzelas” and shouts of “thief, thief”.

The roads were clogged with huge vehicular traffic, forcing many to come down from commercial vehicles to do the remaining distance of their journey on foot.

Scores of police and military personnel backed by riot control vehicles were on hand to provide protection for the protestors.

The leadership of the party in Ashanti chose to call it “Justice March” and the Regional Chairman, Mr Fredrick Fredua Antoh, said it was to draw attention to irregularities that characterized the collation of ballots by the returning officers.

It was to also express their discomfort with what they insist was double standards on the part of the EC.

They could not rationalize why voters in other regions who could not be recognized by the Biometric Verification Machine (BVM) were allowed to vote in clear violation of what had been agreed by all key stakeholders before the elections.

Mr Antoh assured the supporters that the leadership would use every legal means to ensure that the mandate of the people was respected.

They would pursue the matter until justice was done to advance the nation’s democracy.

The supporters converged at the Abbey’s Park, Ashtown where they were addressed by their leaders.

Source: GNA