John Dumelo, the parliamentary candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ayawaso West-Wuogon, has lodged an official complaint against his opponent, Lydia Seyram Alhassan, following allegations that she distributed food to voters at a polling station during the special voting on December 2, 2024.
Dumelo’s complaint, filed at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), comes after viral videos surfaced on social media showing Alhassan giving out food to voters in a queue at a polling station. The NDC candidate shared these videos as evidence in his complaint, accusing Alhassan of attempting to unlawfully influence voters.
In a statement posted on X, Dumelo noted that he had also provided material evidence of plans by Alhassan to expand such practices during the main election on December 7, 2024. He called for an investigation and swift action from the OSP to prevent further unlawful activities and ensure a fair election.
“My team also gave material information on plots by Ms. Lydia Seyram Alhassan to unlawfully influence voters on a larger scale come Saturday, December 7, 2024, when the main election will be held,” Dumelo’s statement read. “We expect the OSP to take immediate and decisive steps to not only prevent Ms. Lydia Seyram Alhassan from repeating the unlawful behaviour, but also to bring her and all her accomplices to book.”
Dumelo emphasized the importance of the OSP’s response, stating that how the complaint is handled leading up to the election would influence the quality of the December 7 vote.
In response to the allegations, Lydia Seyram Alhassan, the incumbent MP for Ayawaso West-Wuogon, denied any involvement in the alleged incident. In an interview with Accra-based JoyNews, she claimed she was unaware of any such activity. “I wasn’t here. I don’t know if you saw me here. I’ve been here since… I came here before 6 am, and I left here a few minutes ago, I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” she stated.
