Dr Zakaria Files Writ To Challenge NDC Mion Primaries

One of the aspirants who contested the Mion constituency National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary primary in the Northern Region, Dr. Mu-Awia Zakaria has filed a writ at the Tamale High Court challenging the declaration of Mohammed Abdul-Aziz as the winner of the polls in the constituency.

He wants the court to annul the results of the Tuwua L/A Primary School polling station claiming that the presiding member was a campaign team member of the winner, Abdul-Aziz.

He is also seeking an order for the recount of the ballot papers in the Nakokpagyyili, Kulinkpegu, Bofoyili, Dabobni and Gumsi polling stations.

The Electoral Commission and Mohammed Abdul-Aziz are the defendants in the case.

Dr Zakaria, a medical doctor resident in Accra contested the parliamentary primaries of the NDC in the Mion constituency held on November 21, 2015.

Abdul-Aziz was declared winner at the close of the polls by the Electoral Commission with 1,652 votes, while the plaintiff had 1, 639 votes, a difference of 13 votes.

Other contestants Dr Alhassan Ahmed Yakubu, the incumbent Member of Parliament and a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture got 1,345 votes, Mr Alhassan Adam, had 355, Mr Abdul Jalil Bawa had 1,234, Mr Munkaila King Zakaria got 369 and Mr Prince Ibrahim Tanko obtained 362.

In his statement of claim, Dr Zakaria avers that the election was fundamentally flawed in a number of polling stations and that but for these flaws and illegalities, he would have been declared the winner.

He claimed that in the Tuwua L/A Primary School polling station, the presiding member of the polling station was a campaign team member of the second defendant instead of an officer of the EC which was in charge of the management of the election.