'Carlos Ahenkorah used soldiers to snatch Tema West seat' - Reports

Details emerging on the Tema West Parliamentary election, is suggesting the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) candidate, Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, used men dressed in military uniform to harass people out of the collation center and declared the winner.

The Herald's multiple sources, disclosed that the results had to be counted several times at the collation center inside the Tema Secondary School (TEMASCO) until the sacked Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, was declared a winner.

The presence of the uniformed men and their bullish, attitude has been confirmed by a female journalist with the state-owned Daily Graphic newspaper, Della Rusell.

Words in the constituency reveal how unpopular Carlos Ahenkorah had become, and many insist that, but for the presence of the uniformed men harassing everyone, including journalists out of the venue with threats and assault, he would not have been declared a winner.

Carlos at the end of counting retained the seat by polling 46,707 representing 50.66 per cent of the total votes cast while Dr Rafael Tufour of the NDC polled 44,171 or 47.91 per cent.

The other candidates; Emmanuel Abossey Ashison of GUM got 674 representing 0.73 per cent, CPP's Solomon Kwasi Amponsah got 356 (0.39 per cent) and Karen Hyde of the NDP polling 293 representing 0.32 per cent respectively.

Mr Ahenkorah, who had an overwhelming endorsement of the constituents during the 2016 elections representing over 59 per cent of the total votes, told Graphic Online that, he was surprised at how low the popularity of his party had dwindled within just four years.

Interestingly, constituents continue to complain about his human relations and popularity in the constituency, rating him as poor.

Tema East and West, have always been strongholds of the NPP, however, the party came out of this election losing Tema East, which was in the hands of Nii Kwaitei Titus Glover, who had shaped a reputation for himself as invincible.

To many, Tema West like many of the coastal areas in the country also fell, but the recounting and the soldiers changed the verdict.

The Daily Graphic reporter took to her Facebook page, saying "in Tema West for instance, there were allegations of missing Pink Sheets which resulted in confusion at the Collation Centre".

Della Rusell, who was making an observation of last Monday's general election in the constituencies she was assigned to wrote that the "Journalists who were said to have left the hall to either walk about briefly or use the restroom were allegedly denied entry into the hall by military men who wore hoods to cover their faces".

"Other journalists who were lucky to have remained in the hall for fear of not being allowed in again should they step out allegedly had videos they took of the confusion at the Centre deleted by the men in uniform."

Della Rusell, mentioned her visit to other constituencies in Kpone-Katamanso and Ashaiman, saying "the Officers were sort of overly protective. The returning officer for Kpone Katamanso for instance got angry with me for taking pictures of the officers and agents taking a nap during the collation process and demanded I delete the pictures".

She added that the "Processes in Ashaiman was also painstakingly slow denying us provisional results and the declarations were only announced around 6pm when they had completed all processes. The only difference in the Ashaiman situation was the returning officer's friendly nature".

Back to Tema West, another female journalist with GHOne TV, is also reported to have been ordered by the soldiers to delete pictures and videos of the harassment by the military.

In July this year, Carlos Kingsley Ahenkorah, was forced to resign after he breached Covid-19 protocols.

In a statement from the presidency, president Nana Akufo-Addo, acknowledged accepting the Tema West MP's resignation from office with immediate effect.

Mr Carlos Ahenkorah, had admitted on a couple of radio stations that he visited voter registration centres with full knowledge that he had tested positive for Covid-19 which had killed his party's former General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie alias "Sir John".

The Deputy Minister told the radio stations he sees nothing wrong with his actions.

Defending his conduct Mr Ahenokorah, claimed that he adhered to all the social distancing and health protocols, implying that he did not put anyone at risk.

He said he felt he needed to show up in a public place with his Covid-19 status because he didn't want his constituents to speculate on his absence at the start of the voter registration exercise.

Not long after, members of his campaign team who were with him, also contracted COVID with some getting killed by it.