What was expected to be a peaceful registration exercise in Tamale on Friday, turned violent with reports of gunshots reigning supreme, an Electoral Commission official has confirmed. Activists suspected to be members of the New Patriotic Party, were said to have been responsible for the shoot out. The action brought registration at the United Primary school to a halt, with the Northern Regional chairman of the EC Sylvester Kanyi calling for security reinforcement at the various centres. ‘If the military could come and assist in providing security at the various centres, I think it will be help.” Reasons for the shoot out were yet unknown, but registration forms needed to conduct the exercise were taken away, Mr. Kanyi confirmed. He was however optimistic that the stolen forms will not in any way affect the credibility of the voters register. “Those registration forms have track numbers on them and cannot find their way into any register in the country” Blame Functionaries of the two leading political parties the NDC and NPP, have engaged in accusations and counter accusations over the incident. NDC Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Inusah Fuseini threw the first salvo citing Municipal Chief Executive Mohammed Armin Hanta, and Northern Regional Chairman of the NPP, Alhassan Addo as master minding the attack. Speaking to Joy Fm’s Dzifa Bampoe on the Friday edition of News Night Hon. Inusah was categorical: “The NPP Chairman, the MCE were seen with a group of six NPP people went to the centre, fired warning shots into the air to frighten the people away, took some of the registration forms, scattered many on the ground and went away” Even though he was in Accra at the time of the incident, Hon. Inusah claimed his informants could not have been wrong. “I have no reason to doubt the authenticity of the information given to me by my sources.” But the accused Armin Hanta has vehemently denied. “Lies everyday, to win favour and sympathy. In this registration exercise, every body knows who is causing trouble in Tamale.” Armin Hanta said in his defence When he was asked his location at the time of incident he said he was at a Regional Security Meeting with the Regional Minister and other security officers and could not have been part of the shoot out. He challenged the Hon. MP to prove the allegation, tasking the media to find out from the security commanders his location at the time of the incident. He expressed worry at the shooting incident saying he as an MCE has brought development into the area and could not have been part of an action that would destroy these development. In a swift reaction, Hon Inusah said the MCE had sought refuge in a meeting in order not to take responsibility for the incident. Author: Nathan Gadugah