Brouhaha Among NPP Activists

...Theresa Tagoe Mixed Up in Affairs

There was a factional feud between followers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Ablekuma South Constituency last Saturday afternoon that brought an abrupt end to a forum organised by the MP for the constituency, Hon. Theresa Tagoe.

Two factions emerged as organizers of the forum with the Gbebu electoral area Chairman of the party organising it at the instance of the MP while a dismissed ward organizer, who is contesting in this year's electoral Assembly elections, and who allegedly have the full support of the MP in his quest to win the assembly seat also organized same for the MP to interact with the constituents.

The forum was eventually called off as leaders of both factions betrothed themselves in verbal insults while their followers who are made of mostly youth wielded sticks, apparently waiting for the least opportunity to engage in a fight.

Had it not been for the timely intervention of the police, the situation would have turned bloody, this paper has established as the presence of the MP was ignored and her pleas for calm rejected.

The NPP Chairman of the Gbebu electoral area who also serves on the constituency executive, Mr. Seth Yeboah, not enthused about what he perceives as double character standard by Hon. Theresa Tagoe has vowed never to take instructions from the MP again, especially if it relates to the organization of a party programme or forum.

He said this in an interview yesterday.

Investigations established that Hon. Theresa Tagoe issued out instructions to Yeboah to organize a forum to enable her interact with the constituents after the constituency executives had complained that the MP hardly meets the electorate.

The forum was initially scheduled for February 23, 2002, but was adjourned to last Saturday, March 2, after the MP complained about a Free Press publication that suggested that some residents of the Manpongse area had threatened to beat her should she visit the area.

The postponement was to enable the constituency executives investigate the truth or otherwise of the alleged Free Press story to ensure the security of the MP, it was learnt.

Continuing yesterday's interview, Yeboah said prior to the March 2 meeting, Hon. Theresa Tagoe and the constituency Vice chairman, Mr. Agyepong instructed him as the party's ward chairman and a representative of the ward at the constituency executive level to organize resources and materials such as a Public Address system and canopy for the forum.

He said he agreed and started the organization process, unknown to him that Mr. Abednego Tetteh, the former ward organizer of the party whom he dismissed and who is alleged to have close ties with the MP was also vigorously organizing the same forum at the same venue and the same time.

Abednego had earlier sought police permit to organize the forum whereas according to Yeboah, he as the ward chairman was the only person with the legal backing to organize such party forum.

He said on the morning to the scheduled time he visited the place to ascertain the preparedness put in by the boys he instructed only to find to his dismay that another faction led by Abednego Tetteh, the dismissed NPP ward organizer, though remains a party member was also erecting canopy and fixing a Public Address system for the same function.

"So now we had two P.A systems, two canopies, every thing was two", saying he was surprised that Abednego has police permission to organize the forum.

"He by-passed me to seek permission from the police even though the MP asked me to do so", he moaned.

When asked why he did not obey the MP's instruction that he should merge the programme and arrangements with that of Abednego, Yeboah said it was wrong for him to merge with the other faction because, according to him, he had the "constitutional" backing while they did not.

He rather expected the MP to ask the other party to stand from their place and merge with him and his people and not the other way round.

Hon. Theresa Tagoe eventually left the scene uncomfortably after her pleas for calm yielded no result and her own constituents rejected a merger.

The police to forestall what would have been a bloody orgy scene, therefore, called off the programme.

When Chronicle's Mr. Bebli contacted Hon Theresa Tagoe, she admitted the confusion arising between party members led by two different people.

When asked to comment on rumours making the round at the venue of the cancelled forum to the effect that she has been supporting the candidature of Abednego to win the Assembly ticket hence her wish that the dismissed party organizer played a major role at the programme in order to market himself, she said it was not true and that she has also never financed any campaign to that effect.

Abednego also denied ever having the support of the MP in his quest to win an Assembly seat.

Meanwhile, another issue that investigations have established could further divide the front of the NPP in the Ablekuma South constituency is the attempt to politicize the Assembly elections which should be non-partisan.

This reporter learnt a meeting was organised involving Yeboah, the Gbebu ward Chairman of the party where Abednego was prevailed upon to withdraw his candidature but he refused.

Now the executives are divided among themselves as to whom to throw their weight behind, this paper has established.