National Coordinator of the coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO), Albert Arhin, has said the presence of heavily armed and masked security officers at the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election is a number one factor that has frightened voters from coming out of their homes to cast their votes.
He condemned the attendance of the masked security personnel who caused the election grounds to be tensed causing fear and panic on Thursday morning during the by-election where some persons were shot and injured specifically at the La Bawalashie Presby polling station.
“When you have heavy security with regards to election, you will put fear and intimidation into people. Already, the attendance is not too encouraging so when we have heavy security added to that, the voter apathy becomes too obvious,”
Speaking on Joy FM’s midday news, Albert Arhin said “this is not good for elections. Why are security officers who are supposed to monitor elections go around in masks?”.
However, these actions alleged to be caused by members of the party in government caused the largest opposition party to pull themselves out of the by-elections to prevent more injury on their party members.
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