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Defeated and dissatisfied, the NPP parliamentary aspirant for Asokwa constituency Maxwell Kofi Jumah is demanding the nullification of results in last week Saturday’s primaries that also left him behind bars.

In the petition addressed to NPP General Secretary, the former Local Government minister says the elections that saw the incumbent Patricia Agyei, declared winner was “complete sham”.

According to him the incumbent broke some resolutions the two entered into before June 13 election day.

The six resolutions included an agreement to allow five minutes appeal to the delegates before the voting could begin.

Below is the petition

REQUEST FOR THE NULLIFICATION OF ASOKWA PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS

I am writing to request that the election to elect the Parliamentary Candidate for the Asokwa Constituency branch of the New Patriotic Party be annulled based on the following;

1. The agreement as per the undertaken made by the two contestants and signed by me, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, Madam Patricia Appiagyei, Mr. Ayisi Boateng and Mr. Acheampong and presented to the Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party in the Ashanti Region, Mr Antwi Bosiako was not adhered to.  

Additionally, agreements agreed to by the two parties before the Constituency Elections Committee was also not adhered to.

 2. Among the agreements were that;

a. The two parties would meet the representatives of the Electoral Commission to map up the processes of the election before the actual elections begin.

b. The two parties would meet the security services to be briefed on security issues at the hall before the elections.

c. Every candidate was entitled to four accreditations of which two were going to be agent and the other two observers.

d. On voting day, taking of pictures of vote cast would not be allowed.

e. The thumb printing box was to be positioned in such a way that anytime a delegate is voting, his back will face the crowd as a means of preventing delegates from taking pictures of vote cast.

f. The candidates were going to be allowed five minutes to talk to delegates before voting commences. Because it was supposed to be a conference

The above agreements were not adhered to as earlier discussed and planned by all parties.

 ON ELECTIONS DAY

 3. Around 7am, news got to Hon Maxwell kofi Jumah that the much awaited meeting with the police/security, the Electoral Commission and the Candidates or their Representative was ongoing but in the absence of Hon Maxwell kofi Jumah and his representatives without any prior notice. A Representative was sent to the scene at the Youth Centre but was denied entry by the Police and Mr. K.K. Asante, Chairman for the constituency Elections Committee. According to the men in police uniforms, they were under strict orders to allow only people with accreditation to enter the premises. In their presence, Mr. K.K. Asante said it is only when the candidate is around that he was going to give out the accreditation.

 i. With the candidate and his agents not present, it was impossible to verify the number of ballot papers brought into the hall. Additionally, serial numbers were not verified before and after elections. In short election materials were not inspected and verified.

 ii. Instructions given to the Electoral Commission officials were not known to the candidate or his agents. Moreover, processes for protests by any candidate or agents were not clarified. As a result effort to get the Electoral Commission officials to meet with candidates or their representatives and resolve on site problems were flatly rejected by the Electoral Commission officials

 iii. The agreements made on Thursday, June 11 2015 were not adhered to. Delegates who were to be accredited to vote were not allowed to even enter the premises, while individuals who were not authorized to even enter the premises were accredited and allowed to vote.

 iv. Maxwell Kofi Jumah , the candidate and his agents were not accredited to enter the premises. It took a lot of hustle for Maxwell Kofi Jumah to get access to the premises meanwhile; once you enter you were not allowed to exit the premises. More importantly, it was not possible to verify the individuals given accreditation to vote or observe. As a result a lot of unauthorized people got accreditation and voted.

 v. The question is, the other candidate was not present but how come her Representatives got  accreditations

 vi. Despite protests by the candidate, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, to Mr K.K. Asante (Chairman for the Asokwa Constituency Election Committee) Asare Bediako (Constituency Chairman), the Electoral Commission representatives and the police officer in charge of security were all not ready to even summon a meeting to help resolve the issues.

 vii. The election started in the absence of the candidate, Maxwell Kofi Jumah and his agents.  No pre-election inspections of election materials were done by the Electoral Commission in the presence of the two candidates or their representatives. As a result the Regional Chairman after being informed rushed to the center.

 viii. The Regional Chairman ordered for the suspension of the election, while he was making attempts to resolve the issues at the Asokwa Police Station

 ix. In the absence of the Regional Chairman and the Constituency Chairman (Asare Bediako) Mr K.K. Sarpong ordered the resumption of the election.

 x. As a result, most of the delegates angrily left the premises.

 xi. Those delegates who were persuaded to come back had people already voted in their place by the time they got back.

 xii. The sorting and counting was done without the candidate Maxwell kofi Jumah nor any agent.

 In conclusion, this election was a complete sham. The basic tenets of a free and fair elections were thrown to the dogs. A grand conspiratorial scheme had been put together by the constituency executives, the handpicked council of elders, council of patrons, constituency election committee, the electoral commission representatives and the police to put aside the will of delegates and voters of  Asokwa .

A properly organized and supervised election that will reflect the will of the constituency must immediately be put in place. Indeed it will be in the interest of our party to do that immediately to forestall mass defections to the opposition.

 ….signed…..
HON. MAXWELL KOFI JUMAH

Cc:
THE FLAG BEARER OF THE NPP
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
THE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN
THE NATIONAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
THE REGIONAL CHAIRMAN, ASHANTI REGION
THE REGIONAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE
THE CONSTITUANCY ELECTIONS COMMITTEE (ASOKWA)
THE ELECTIONS APPEAL COMMITTEE