Odododiodioo NDC Parliamentary primary: Four arrested for taking pictures of ballot

In the Odododiodioo constituency, four individuals have been apprehended by the police for violating electoral rules by using their phones to capture their votes during the NDC Parliamentary primary. The confirmation of the arrests came from Paul Laryea, the NDC Chairman for Odododiodioo, in an interview with Citi News.

Laryea pointed out that the electoral commission explicitly warned participants before the election not to photograph their ballots. Despite this caution, some individuals proceeded to take pictures of their votes, leading to the arrest of the four individuals who are currently in police custody.

The incident unfolded as over 2300 delegates of the National Democratic Congress began casting their votes to elect a Parliamentary Candidate for the Odododiodioo constituency in the Greater Accra Region. This followed the dismissal of an interlocutory injunction application filed by disqualified candidate Michael Nii Yarboi Anan, leading to the party’s initial indefinite postponement of the election.

Background information reveals that the Functional Executive Committee of the NDC had disqualified Michael Nii Yarboi Annan from contesting in the parliamentary election in the Odododiodioo Constituency in November 2023. The decision was based on findings by a special committee, which justified the disqualification in line with Article 41(8)(b) of the NDC Constitution. This article stipulates that a member must be an active party member at the constituency level for the four years immediately preceding the date of filing nominations.

The party initially postponed the primary indefinitely due to a court injunction obtained by the disqualified candidate. However, with the dismissal of the court injunction, the NDC has now given clearance for the primary to proceed.