The Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) says the Police Administration in the Western Region’s consultative meeting with political parties on activities in the Region was a step in the right direction. A statement signed by Prof. Miranda Greenstreet, Co-Chair of the CODEO Advisory Board, said the police organised the meeting to discuss security implications of their activities in the wake of intra-party squabbles in the region. “CODEO wishes that such meetings would be held in the other regions to ensure that the ongoing parties’ primaries and the forthcoming election are conducted peacefully,” it said. It said political parties’ primaries dominated the pre-election environment reports submitted by their observers in May. They observed intense activities of the various parties conducting primaries to elect parliamentary nominees for the December polls, the nomination and vetting of aspirants for the primaries, aspirants’ campaign and the conduct of primaries as well as post-primary environment. They said there were intra-party wrangling and dissatisfaction that tainted a few of the primaries’ nomination and vetting processes. There were protests against alleged murky nomination procedures, unfair vetting verdicts and threats of violence by aspirants and their supporters. “The Field Officers’ reports also indicated that some vote buying occurred….A few reports indicate abuse of public resources by some public officials contesting the primaries,” it said. Source: GNA