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Lydia Seyram Alhassan, the Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon, has addressed criticisms following a viral video showing her and her constituency women’s organizer distributing food to voters during the Special Voting exercise on December 2, 2024. The incident, which took place at the Legon Police Station polling center, sparked concerns about voter influence and electoral ethics.

Responding to Public Outcry

In an interview on Citi FM’s Breakfast Show with Bernard Avle, Alhassan dismissed allegations of wrongdoing, explaining that the gesture was a response to a request from voters in the queue.

“I thought that there were some people who would need food after I had served my people, so I decided to give it to them. The lady with me received a request for water and, in her attempt to give it to one person, ended up giving it to two others who also needed water,” she stated.

Alhassan emphasized that her actions were motivated by compassion and not an attempt to influence voters. “Did you see me giving out food to the people in the queue?” she asked, adding that the food packages were initially intended for her agents and media personnel at the center.

Criticism from Opponent

The incident drew criticism from her political opponent, John Dumelo, who questioned whether the food distribution could be seen as an attempt to sway voters. However, Alhassan rejected these claims, asserting that her visit was purely to monitor the voting process.

Clarification on Presence at Polling Center

Alhassan also clarified reports about her presence during the aftermath of the incident. She explained that she had left the polling center before any further developments and was not present during John Dumelo’s reaction.

“As a stakeholder, I was there to monitor the process. After I left, I was told about an incident, but I was not near there at the time. It was later that I saw a video of my opponents calling me names,” she explained.

 

The MP reiterated her commitment to ensuring a smooth electoral process and stressed that her actions were misinterpreted. Despite the backlash, she maintained that the gesture was in good faith and aimed at addressing the immediate needs of individuals present.

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