I will win head or tail - Boniface

Accra, June 17, GNA - Mr Abubakar Sadique Boniface, an Independent MP for Salaga and Deputy Minister of Tourism and the Modernisation of the Capital City, on Thursday stated that whether he contested the Salaga Parliamentary seat as an Independent candidate or on the ticket of any other political party, he would still win hands down.

He was also optimistic that if he contested the New Patriotic Party (NPP) primaries for the Salaga constituency, he would still emerge the candidate of choice.

In an Interview with the Ghana News Agency on the recent publication in a section of the media about attempt by Mr Boniface's political opponents to disqualify him from contesting as an MP on the ticket of NPP, he noted, "I genuinely served the people of the area.

"It does not matter where I stand. I am the people's choice. They are grateful for the development projects I have sent there. I am serving my people and they like me. They will obviously maintain me." In view of agitations from a section of the NPP Constituency Executive that Mr Boniface should not be imposed on them as the NPP parliamentary candidate for the December elections, another NPP group calling themselves, Concerned NPP Youth in a letter dated June 7, this year called for the dissolution of the current NPP Constituency Executive because they claimed they were not constitutionally elected. The letter signed by Mr Abudu Amadu Musah, Spokesperson for the concerned youth and four others gave one month ultimatum to the NPP Northern Regional Chairman to dissolve the Salaga NPP Constituency Executive Committee or that they would advise themselves.

The letter accused Alhaji Bismark Haruna Dari, District Chief Executive (DCE), East Gonja, who stood on the NPP ticket and lost to Mr Boniface in the 2000 election for being the one who had single-handedly picked the constituency executives and so he was the king pin in the controversies.

Alhaji Dari, in an interview with the GNA denied the accusations levelled against him by the 'Concern NPP Youth'.

He said he could not be an obstacle to Mr Boniface standing on the ticket of the NPP to contest the election, adding that he (Dari) was not standing as a candidate in the election and asked: "How can I be an impediment when I am not contesting with Boniface?"

He also noted that he had not declared any support for Alhaji Ibrahim Dey, who was aspiring to contest the parliamentary seat for Salaga constituency on NPP ticket.

Alhaji Dari further denied single-handedly selecting the NPP Constituency Executive members, saying the due democratic procedures were observed in the election of the Executive Members.