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Member of Parliament for Tamale Central in the Northern Region, Hon. Inusah Abdulai Bistav Fuseini, has asserted that the low turnout which was registered during the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election was as a result of perceived insecurity in the La Bawaleshie electoral area.

He stressed the entire Ayawaso West Wuogon was peaceful as there were no police and military patrolling the area before Thursday, January 31; thus no skirmishes have been seen in Ayawaso West Wuogon.

“The violence was as a direct result of the election in Ayawaso West Wuogon....indeed, I can go further to say that the low turnout recorded in the Ayawaso by-election is as a result of the perceived level of insecurity in that area because by 8am on that day, news had already filtered that there was violence in the constituency”, he asserted.

The voters Register of the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency used in the 2016 General Elections had a voter population of 87,580 but the total valid votes was 17,501 making the total turnout for the by-election to be about 19.83 percent in all the 137 polling stations.

Meanwhile, the Coalition of Domestic Election (CODEO) believes the presence of the masked and heavily armed men intimidated many voters and contributed to the very low turnout at the polls.

The independent observer group said it counted as many as 15 of such armed and masked persons at some polling stations during the elections.

The masked and armed men were captured on video physically assaulting the Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam George during a heated altercation.