The Okaikwei North constituency witnessed a brief period of confusion on Saturday morning as foreign delegates attempted to participate in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries.
The disturbance prompted an altercation between the local delegates and the foreign participants, leading to heightened tensions.
Concerned delegates in the Okaikwei North constituency immediately raised the alarm upon noticing the irregularity, prompting a swift response from the police to restore order and calm the situation.
The incident occurred as part of the ongoing NPP parliamentary primaries taking place across 111 constituencies nationwide, with party members casting their votes to select their preferred candidates.
Voting at various polling centres started at 7 am, while others commenced at 7:45 am, with delegates eagerly queuing to elect their chosen candidates. In the Okaikwei North constituency alone, approximately 850 delegates are expected to participate in the primaries, with six aspirants vying for the parliamentary candidacy on the NPP ticket.
The candidates in contention for the Okaikwei North parliamentary seat include Kenneth Kwabena Agyei Kuranchie, Prince Owusu Mensah, Akoto Alberta Afia Asomaniwa, Nyarko Stephen Adipa, Fuseini Issah, and Nana Ama Asiamah-Adjei.
Meanwhile, in the Western Region, the Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira NPP primaries faced an unexpected cancellation due to a disagreement over the polling centre.
Originally scheduled to take place in Gwira-Bamiako, the exercise was halted after the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) recommended a neutral centre in Ellembelle following last week's demonstrations over the area's underdevelopment.
Despite the Western Regional NPP Executives' insistence on holding the primaries at Gwira-Bamiako, the exercise was called off when two different centres were allegedly set up at Gwira-Bamianko and Axim.
This confusion led to a polarized situation within the party, with the Electoral Commission reportedly facing challenges in overseeing the process.
Confirming the cancellation of the Evalue-Ajomoro-Gwira NPP Primaries, the Western Regional NPP Secretary, Okatekyire Afrifa Amankwah, expressed frustration and disappointment, stating that the primaries have been postponed indefinitely due to the internal discord caused by a candidate's attempt to dictate the polling location.