A group of Polling Station Executives of the ruling New Patriotic Party in the Upper West Akyem Constituency in the Eastern Region has kicked what it described as a deliberate attempt by some party leadership in the region to allow its current Member of Parliament Frederick Obeng Adomto contest the party’s parliamentary primaries as unopposed.
The group in a press conference addressed on Friday, December 8 2023, accused the Regional Chairman Jeff Konadu and Constituency Chairman Nana Adai Obuobi of masterminding such a move.
According to the group, the Regional Chairman and the Constituency began their agenda by suggesting that the party does not allow sitting Members of Parliament to be contested.
Again, the aggrieved Polling Station Executives in the Upper West Akyem Constituency alleged that the decision was conveyed to the various executives in the constituency by the District Chief Executive Honorable Eugene Kwabena Sackey.
According to the group, the District Chief Executives Officer of the Upper West Akyem Assembly claimed that instruction came from the Regional Chairman, who alleged it was sanctioned by the National Leadership.
The Danger Of Unopposed Contest In Upper West Akyem Constituency
Furthermore, the aggrieved Polling Station Executives of the ruling New Patriotic Party in the Upper West Akyem Constituency lamented over the non-performance and loss of relevance of its Member of Parliament, Frederick Obeng Adom in the constituency, arguing that any decision to impose him on the party in the constituency may portend severe ramifications for the party in the constituency in the 2024 general elections.
The group thus urged the leadership of the party both at the national and regional level to ensure that it upholds democratic principles by ensuring free and fair processes leading to the conduct of the parliamentary primaries in the Upper West Akyem Constituency without any disqualification of other candidates, contesting the Member of Parliament.
The group threatened that if the leadership of the New Patriotic Party failed to ensure that the right processes were not followed in the constituency parliamentary leading to the imposition of the current Member of Parliament as the party’s parliamentary candidate for the constituency, it would fiercely opposed to it.
“We are not in support of anybody going unopposed, and any attempt to disqualify candidates who pick forms will be resisted. We are ready to support whoever emerges as the candidate after a contest during the primaries. Anything short of that will lead to serious trouble for the party here in Upper West Akyem”
Aggrieved Polling Executives in Upper West Akyem
The National Democratic Congress has won the Upper West Akyem Constituency Parliamentary seat since its creation in 1996 until it lost it to the New Patriotic Party in the 2020 general election.
The current Member of Parliament Frederick Obeng Adom of the New Patriotic Party defeated then National Democratic Congress Member of Parliament, Derek Phone Assist Bekoe with 21,863 votes, representing 51.9 per cent as against 20,196 votes representing 48.02 per cent.
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress Presidential Candidate, John Dramani Mahama pulled 21,694, representing 52.49 per cent as against President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuf-Addo’s votes of 19,060, representing 46.11 per cent in the same election.
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