Zita Accuses Opponent Of Bribing Delegates�Threatens Court Action

Defeated NDC aspirant for the Dome-Kwabenya seat, Mrs Zita Okaikoi, is crying foul and accusing her opponent in Saturday�s parliamentary primaries of influencing votes in her favour by bribing delegates prior to the primaries and has thus threatened to go to court to have her opponent disqualified.

The former Deputy Minister of Tourism and Information, who prior the primary vowed to win the confidence of the delegates by securing 85% of votes, managed a paltry 87 votes losing out to the relatively unsung Sophia Karen Akuaku, a contractor and social worker who polled 100 votes, thus getting the green light to battle the NPP�s Adwoa Sarfo for the Dome-Kwabenya seat in next year�s elections.

She is accusing Madam Sophia Akuako of greasing the palm of each delegate with an amount of GH�300 with a promise of another GH�300 if she won.

In a heated exchange interlaced with name-calling on Okay FM�s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, Zita claimed Madam Akuako was not a resident in the Dome-Kwabenya constituency and thus should have been disqualified from contesting.

�I filed an official complaint at the party�s regional and national office, but it was ignored,� she said.

Clearly not happy about her loss over the weekend, the former deputy minister accused the party executives of bias and violating the NDC�s constitution, threatening to seek redress in court.

�I will not even argue with her, I�ll not even argue with her, I�ll not argue with her, when I take the action to disqualify her, she will understand where I�m coming from. If you come on-air and lie, I will not even argue with her,� Zita said.

Responding to allegations of vote buying, Madam Sophia Akuako chided Zita saying she should be mature and accept defeat instead of pointing accusing fingers at her. She expressed shock at Zita's accusation that she (Akuoko) had bribed delegates when she (Zita) had indulged in the same practice.

�Zita also distributed GH�300 on Tuesday to the women and nobody said it was bribe so why is she complaining about me distributing money. She was even giving delegates GH�500 on the day of voting but she lost and instead of keeping quiet, she is going about making all sort of allegations. I want Zita to know that Dome-Kwabenya is not her personal property and election is not about being boastful,� she replied.

But Zita said her opponents� accusations are not wholly true saying, �i only gave some women money as loan and not as bribe�.

Dismissing Zita's claim that she does not reside in the constituency, the NDC candidate-elect posited that Zita should also have been disqualified from the primaries since she (Zita) resides outside Dome- Kwabenya with her husband.

Madam Akuoko said the National executives in their own wisdom did not disqualify her even though they had been petitioned to do so by Zita adding that she won because she had worked hard for it.

Source: Beatrice Adepa Frempong/Peacefmonline.com