Iddrisu Bomison, the former Wa Central Constituency Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and current aspirant for the constituency’s chairmanship, has asserted that the party missed a golden opportunity to claim the Wa Central parliamentary seat in the 2016 elections due to its reluctance to pursue legal action.
Speaking on the Tegyaayele Show on Home Radio, Bomison revealed that compelling evidence of electoral irregularities, including over-voting at several polling stations, could have overturned the results in favor of the NPP had the party taken the matter to court.
In an exclusive interview with Adil Fuseini, Bomison elaborated on his claims, emphasizing the strength of the evidence he still possesses from his tenure as constituency secretary. “The evidence we had was enough to win the Wa Central Constituency if we had gone ahead to court,” he stated confidently. “I was the secretary at the time, and I still have the evidence in my possession. We saw over-voting in some polling stations, including the Meteorological Service polling station, among others.”
Bomison explained that despite the irregularities observed during the 2016 elections, the NPP leadership opted against legal action. The party’s sweeping national victory that year, which saw Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo elected president and the NPP securing a significant parliamentary majority, influenced the decision to let the Wa Central results stand unchallenged. “Due to our unprecedented victory in 2016, the party didn’t want to raise some of these issues,” he noted. “The focus was on the bigger picture, but in hindsight, I believe we could have secured Wa Central.”
The Wa Central Constituency has long been a stronghold of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), with incumbent MP Abdul Rashid Hassan Pelpuo holding the seat since 2005. In the 2016 election, the NPP narrowed the margin significantly, a development Bomison attributes to the party’s growing support base in the area. However, he insists that the alleged over-voting tipped the scales unfairly in favor of the NDC.
Now vying for the NPP Wa Central Constituency chairmanship, Bomison is leveraging his experience as a two-time secretary to rally support for his candidacy. He argues that his intimate knowledge of the constituency’s political dynamics and his track record equip him to lead the party to victory in future elections. “I’ve served this constituency diligently as secretary, and I know what it takes to make a difference for the NPP here,” he told Fuseini. “We need strong leadership to mobilize our base and address past challenges head-on.”
As the NPP prepares for its internal elections, Bomison’s candidacy and his bold reflections on 2016 are likely to stir discussions among party faithful. Whether his leadership can turn the tide in Wa Central remains to be seen, but his message is clear: with the right resolve, the NPP can challenge the NDC’s dominance in the constituency.
By: Adil Fuseini
