Confusion erupts in Ayawaso West Wuogon as MP shares food during special voting [IMAGES]

The special voting exercise in Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, Greater Accra Region, went smoothly on December 2, 2024, until an incident involving incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) MP, Lydia Alhassan, stirred controversy.

While voters waited in line, Alhassan began distributing food packs to those in the queue, including some Electoral Commission (EC) officials and security personnel.

This act quickly caught the attention of opposition figures, particularly National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate, John Dumelo, who condemned the action as a breach of election rules.

Dumelo, visibly agitated, questioned the propriety of sharing food with voters before they cast their ballots, stressing that such actions could be seen as an inducement, which is illegal under Ghanaian election laws.

“Why are you sharing food with people in the queue? What kind of stupidity is this?” he remarked in an interview with Joy News.

Dumelo further warned that while his party chose to respect the rules, they would not tolerate such behavior, implying that the NDC could also engage in similar actions if provoked.

Meanwhile, the special voting process, which includes thousands of security personnel, EC officials, and emergency service staff, has generally been peaceful.

However, the food-sharing incident in Ayawaso West Wuogon and similar acts in Ayawaso Central, where both the NPP and NDC offered breakfast to EC staff, have raised concerns about adherence to electoral regulations.

The special voting will continue in 14 regions, with two regions—Eastern and Western—rescheduled to December 5 due to issues with ballot papers. Despite these minor disruptions, the overall turnout has been high, with few other reported incidents.