3 arrested after destroying ballot papers, disrupting NPP Bantama constituency elections

Three persons were arrested by police in the Ashanti region for allegedly disrupting the ongoing constituency executives elections of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at Bantama. The individuals reportedly barged into the polling centre at the Kumasi Cultural Centre and began destroying ballot boxes and papers. Eyewitnesses claim the three also physically assaulted officials supervising the voting process, with one election officer sustaining injury to the foot and being rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. The arrested individuals have been identified as Shaibu Bamba, Constituency Organiser, and Abu, Adoato Polling Station Chairman, while the third person is yet to be identified.

Sources claim a court injunction has been placed on the Bantama internal election, but some party executives defied the order to conduct the election without the Electoral Commission. Despite the Commission's withdrawal, police personnel were deployed to monitor the election early Saturday morning. However, Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Osei Akoto Arthur, visited the polling centre and ordered the withdrawal of his men. While the police personnel were about to leave, some heavily built men entered the inner perimeter of the centre and began vandalising the voting materials. The voting process has currently been halted, awaiting a decision from the National Executive Council.