NDC bribed with cash, fat cows – Says wanted MP

Wanted Member of Parliament for Nkwanta North constituency, John Oti Bless has revealed that the embattled District Chief Executive for Nkwanta North in the Volta Region, Paul Levin Gyato was re-nominated because he allegedly paid massive bribes for the post.

Mr Gyato, according to the MP, allegedly bribed National Democratic Congress (NDC) power brokers with fat cows and inordinate cash to get his way, giving credence to widespread rumours that the nomination of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) has been riddled with gargantuan corruption.

“Truth is bitter, but some of us cannot pretend because truth must be told,” the Nkwanta North MP, Oti Bless, told Peace FM after he was declared wanted by the police over violent protests by irate NDC supporters leading to the burning of six state vehicles in the district.

He was alleged to have instigated the NDC youth of the area into an orgy of violence, leading to the destruction of state property.

Police Write To Speaker

The police are said to have already written to the Speaker of Parliament to release the MP so they would interrogate him.

The NDC MP insisted that the DCE could only have been re-nominated through alleged bribery as he was not among the three-shortlisted candidates for the position of the Nkwanta North District Chief Executive.

“Everybody in the district knows the DCE did not perform in the last four years and so there was no way his re-nomination would be accepted,” Oti Bless stated.

“Twelve people were vetted, and three people shortlisted after the vetting. The name of the outgoing DCE was not among the three candidates,” the MP stated.

According to him, in the whole of Volta Region, only three former DCEs for Krachi, Keta and Ziope, out of 13 or 14 DCEs shortlisted were retained and the Nkwanta North DCE was not part of the three.

It would be recalled that the Nkwanta North Constituency NDC claimed that their outgoing DCE, Paul Levin Gyato was more of a member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) than that of the ruling party. His re-nomination, therefore, sparked violence in the area, leading to the burning of some state vehicles.

There and then the police reportedly declared the MP wanted because it was alleged that he instigated the angry NDC supporters to go on the vandalizing spree.

Mr. Oti Bless, however, indicated he was not around at the time of the vandalism, and that he only received a series of calls about the incident.

“I was in Cape Coast when I heard about the incident, and I immediately moved to Ho where I learnt that some eight NDC supporters were arrested and taken to Hohoe,” the MP indicated adding, “I have been at Hohoe for the past four days.”

Virtually absolving the MP of any blame, the constituency executive indicated that the acts of vandalism which hit the district were as a result of the re-nomination of Paul Gyato.

According to them, Paul Gyato did not contribute to the fortunes of the party in the run-up to last year’s general elections.

Joseph Wombe, the Nkwanta North Constituency Secretary of the party maintained there was evidence to show the DCE campaigned against the NDC in the 2012 elections and that the ruling party lost to the NPP in the community where he (DCE and his family) resided.

Speaking on Okay FM, Mr. Wombe claimed that “throughout, the DCE’s tenure has been littered with divisions instead of unity in the party…He even campaigned against the NDC in the 2012 general elections.

“At the moment, NDC executives in the Nkwanta North Constituency are on the run because the DCE has called for the arrest of all those who voted against him,” he added.

A fuming Wombe insisted that “he (DCE) is not a member of the NDC because since his name was smuggled into the list leading to his re-nomination, his household is now always flooded with NPP activists.”

He blamed the DCE for instigating the arrest of NDC members who allegedly destroyed state property at Kpassa.

The Nkwanta North Constituency Secretary, who claimed he was in hiding because of the DCE’s high-handedness, alleged the DCE had decided to chase NDC executives out of the constituency, reiterating that such a person could not be called an NDC member.

“I cannot disclose my hideout because I am almost in exile. We are being hunted for a crime we did not commit. The DCE is frustrating the NDC members in Nkwanta North District in order to make NPP grow stronger in the district…He is seeking the downfall of the party,” he claimed.