Osei-Owusu calls on his supporters to remain calm

Bekwai (Ash), May 19, GNA - Mr Joe Osei-Owusu, the defeated parliamentary aspirant at the Amansie East New Patriotic Party (NPP) primaries, on Sunday appealed to his numerous supporters to remain calm and await the outcome of a petition lodged with the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Party over the primaries held at Bekwai on Saturday, May 10.

He said they should not do anything that would mar the image of the NPP in the constituency which was one of the strongholds of the party in the Ashanti Region.

Mr Osei-Owusu was addressing his teeming supporters after visiting and sympathizing with people who sustained various degrees of injury during last Wednesday's planned demonstration by the people in the constituency to register their dismay over the re-election of Mr Kofi Poku Adusei, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) as the parliamentary candidate which they alleged was marked with fraudulent deals.

The police fired teargas, warning shots and rubber bullets in an attempt to disperse the demonstrators and that led to scores of people, including school children injured and others running shelter-skelter to seek refuge at the Omanhene's palace and the hospital premises.

The Bekwai Government Hospital was not also spared as teargas was thrown thus rendering services there to a halt for some hours while properties were also destroyed in the wards and offices from the shootings.

Mr Osei-Owusu's entry into the constituency saw his supporters in a frenzy mood, dancing amidst brass band music and holding placards, some of which read; "Joe, Go Independent" and "Adusei, We Don't Recognise you as Our MP."

Commenting on the call by the electorate to go independent, Mr Osei-Owusu said he has to go by the rules and regulations of the Party first hence his petition to NEC, and if nothing concrete came out, then, he would decide on the next action to take.

He later had a closed door meeting with Nana Kaakari Appau, Omanhene of Bekwai Traditional Area at his palace.