As Angry Residence Chased Ekow Ewusi and Gun Wielding Guards from Registration Centre
Tensions ran high at a voter registration center in Cape Coast North as gunshots rang out and chaos erupted, leading to the dramatic ejection of New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate Horace Ekow Ewusi.
Accused of storming the polling station with bodyguards firing gunshots and causing disturbances, Ewusi faced backlash and was labeled a ‘thief’ by angry residents.
Ekow Ewusi who still has a case of missing excavators and other matters around his neck unsolved, is reported to have stormed a polling station at the ongoing voter registration exercise amidst firing of gunshots by his body guards.
Ewusi is alleged to have bussed some people from Moree in the Abura Asebu Kwamankese constituency to the centre to register.
The individuals were prevented by the people at the center and this led to a heated argument between supporters of NPP and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The incident unfolded at the Electoral Commission’s District Office, with conflicting reports on the sequence of events. The current Member of Parliament for Cape Coast North,
Kwamena Minta Nyarku, pointed fingers at Ewusi for bringing individuals from Moree to register, sparking a heated confrontation between NPP and NDC supporters.
Police were called to the scene as tensions escalated, with NDC’s spokesperson challenging authorities to arrest Ewusi and his associates.
Eyewitnesses recounted how Ewusi’s intervention led to scuffles, culminating in his bodyguards allegedly firing guns amidst the chaos.
Video footage captured the intense scene as residents vocally opposed Ewusi’s presence, denouncing him as a ‘thief’ and expressing defiance against electoral malpractice.
Mabel Eshun who said she was in the thick of affairs said she arrived at the center to see some of her relatives she knows reside in Moree trying to register the district office of the EC.
“I enquired from them why they were at the center. They answered that the NPP parliamentary candidate for the Cape Coast North constituency, Ekow Ewusi brought them from Moree to register. I told them that they can’t register here, gave them c40.00, and escorted them to the roadside to return to Moree.”
But few minutes later, she was prompted by some confusion so she drew closer only to find out that the relatives she escorted to go back to their base in Moree had returned to register. “We sacked them again”.
But few minutes later, she was prompted by some confusion so she drew closer only to find out that the relatives she escorted to go back to their base in Moree had returned to register. “We sacked them again”.
She told the media that moments later, the NPP candidate stormed the centre to demand to know who asked the Moree residents to leave the center.
Mabel said “I owned up and told him they cannot register and this resulted in a scuffle. The police had to intervene when the bodyguard of Mr Ewusi joined to assault me”.
Mr Ewusi was dragged into his car and driven away after a group of people chased him from the registration centre.
A 4:37 seconds video of the incident intercepted by the WhatSup news show angry residents chasing and hooting at Mr Ewusi and his body guards who were escorted to their vehicle by the police for safety.
In the not so clear audible video, individuals were heard in the video laughing and calling Mr. Ewusi thief. One person said they will not allow Mr Ewusi and the NPP to steal the election this time.
“Ekow thief, Ekow thief”, one lady is heard shouting while the vehicle sped off. Another lady said “They think we will cheapen ourselves this”.
Meanwhile, the MP Kwamena Minta Nyarku, said the parliamentary candidate came to the registration centres with a bus full of thugs and began attacking people including him and his bodyguard.
“I was told there was a fracas happening at one of the registration centres so I decided to go and find out and make sure that things would be calmed only to come and meet the NPP parliamentary candidate and his entourage making fracas all over the place and before I could intervene, he brought a Ford bus with a whole lot of guys coming out to attack the people that were here and even attacked me and my bodyguard with a cutlass and even went to the assembly office with thugs that they are going to burn down Cape Coast.”
The Cape Coat North constituency seat was snatched from the NPP by the NDC in the 2020 general election.
The seat was occupied by a former Deputy Education Minister Barbara Asher Eyisi who won it in 2016.
The dramatic turn of events culminated in Ewusi being driven away amidst a throng of disgruntled onlookers, marking a tumultuous chapter in the Cape Coast North political landscape.
The incident underscores the deep-seated rivalries and tensions in the constituency as political stakes run high ahead of the upcoming elections.