The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary candidate in the Akwatia by-election, Bernard Bediako Baidoo, has raised concerns that fears of electoral violence are discouraging many eligible voters from showing up at the polls.
Speaking to JoyNews after casting his ballot on Tuesday, September 2, Mr. Baidoo explained that widespread rumours of potential unrest, often spread by outsiders, have created unnecessary panic in the constituency.
“You know that when it comes to by-elections, turnout is sometimes very low. This is largely because people who are not from Akwatia go on radio stations and claim that violence will occur here,” he said.
He further noted that such commentary has prevented some residents working outside the constituency from returning home to exercise their civic duty.
“If someone from Akwatia is working in Accra and plans to come and vote, the person becomes afraid. Ironically, those spreading these claims are not even from this town,” he remarked.
Despite the relatively low turnout, the NDC candidate expressed confidence about his chances, especially in areas considered his strongholds.
“The good thing is that in my strongholds, the votes are coming in strongly, which indicates I will win. I have been in this game for a long time, and coming from this town, I know the numbers will eventually shoot up,” Mr. Baidoo said.
He stressed that elections should be about ideas and development, not violence, and appealed to all stakeholders to maintain peace throughout the process.
“Voting should never be marred by fighting or intimidation. It’s about sharing ideas and choosing how best the country should move forward. Whoever emerges victorious deserves our collective support,” he added.
Mr. Baidoo concluded by acknowledging that while rumours of unrest may have suppressed turnout, the encouraging numbers from his strongholds give him optimism.
“In a by-election, if you can secure between 15 and 20 votes in a polling station instead of the usual 5 to 10, you know things are going in your favour. But if the numbers remain low, then it’s a sign of trouble,” he stated.
source: myjoyonline
