Afoko loyalists attacked Freddie Blay – Koku Anyidoho

The deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koku Anyidoho has alleged that attacks on the Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay were staged by loyalists of Paul Afoko, National Chairman of the NPP.

“…When I did my checks apparently I found out that it was boys loyal to Paul Afoko who attacked Freddie Blay.”

The incident occurred when the Regional Minister and his entourage came to the polling station to monitor the ongoing by-election in the area.

Citi News’ Upper East Regional correspondent, Fredrick Awuni reported earlier in the day that “the Azoka boys got there and asked Freddie Blay’s entourage to leave the venue for the Regional Minister and the NDC that had come there to monitor the election but Mr. Freddie Blay had a confrontation with them, saying they were equally there to  monitor elections.”

[contextly_sidebar id=”lFCQysMZHnrx4vAZwuorpp2MeE5TzFKt”]Koku Anyidoho however attributed the attacks to Afoko loyalists; “There is this ongoing rift in the NPP and I learnt that the boys are upset that Freddie Blay is one of the reasons why Afoko cannot be the Chairman that he wants to be…,” he further alleged.

Koku Anyidoho pointed out that one of the NPP bigwigs Addai Nimoh is also under heavy protection from the Police and the military because “some known NPP boys have threatened to attack him.”

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) earlier in the day, engaged in bloody clashes in the area.

Freddie Blay and his entourage were consequently attacked in the process.

A former General Secretary of the NPP Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, in an interview on Eyewitness News, also claimed the attack was personally led by the NDC Northern Regional Chairman, Sofo Azoka but Koku Anyidoho refuted such claims, insisting that the elections was peaceful till around 2pm when some supporters of the NPP disrupted the provess.

“… They created an illegal road block… Infact I was the first person they wanted to attack but I managed to swerve them,” he narrated.

“As I speak to you right now one of our deputy organisers has been attacked. The evidence is there, the bullet shots, the windscreens etc.”

Koku Anyidoho however stated that calm has been restored in the area, saying “it was a hell calming them but I am happy the security personnel were in charge.”

Meanwhile Citi News’ Northern Regional correspondent, Karim Natogmah reported that “there was confrontation between NPP and NDC supporters infront of the NPP constituency office.”

He also stated that the timely intervention of the military and Police personnel  “calmed tempers.”

According to him, voting was however “generally peaceful in the hinterlands.”

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By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah