New Patriotic Party (NPP) executives in the Sissala West Constituency of the Upper West Region, have called on the police to expedite investigation into the alleged attack on the party’s constituency Nasara Chairman, Mr Iddrisu Walaika, on Tuesday evening.
The victim, presently battling for his life at the Upper West Regional Hospital, was allegedly attacked by assailants believed to be party members, who belonged to a rival faction of the victim.
Mr Abdul Rauf Zini, constituency secretary of the party, at a press conference, in Wa, said although some arrests had been made, other perpetrators of the crime were still walking about freely.
“The butchering was filmed with a smart phone and faces of the perpetrators were visible so it is not enough that only two people have since been arrested. We are calling on the police to arrest the men, who were engaged in the act and were captured in the video recording”, he appealed.
Mr Zini alleged that the crime was in connection with the current internal wrangling in the party.
He accused the Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih, the Regional Party Chairman, Mr Saanbaye Basilde Kangberee as the grandmasters of such incidents in a bid to project Mr Majeed Limann as the next constituency chairman.
Mr Zini alleged that the issues started with the polling station elections, which he claimed was controlled by security personnel ‘installed’ by Dr Salih against party rules.
Mr Zini claimed “On April 12, the regional minister deployed over 150 heavily armed military and police personnel just for 28 polling stations elections. The deployment of this intimidating security men was without recourse to party guidelines”.
However, the convener of some concerned youth of the party in the constituency, Mr Hudu Muah, said the persons who were accused by the party executives only performed their duties to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections.
“Is it a crime for the Chairman to assign representatives to monitor the election? Was it only Sissala West Constituency he assigned people to?” he queried.
Mr Musah said due to numerous accusations earlier, the election was suspended until people, who ‘met the eyes of the executives’ were appointed to supervise the exercise.
He said the regional minister had no interest in the election and “only acted swiftly to respond to the mounting tension as a result of the election, by deploying security personnel to ensure calm at the polls.”
Meanwhile, checks at the hospital by the Ghanaian Times revealed that the victim was responding to treatment.
FROM LYDIA DARLIGTON FORJDOUR, WA
