Outrage at NPP vetting as 15 aspirants are disqualified in Eastern Region

The vetting exercise of the ruling New Patriotic Party, (NPP) was marred with uncontrolled anger following the disqualification of fifteen (15) aspirants.

The vetting process which started on March 4, 2020 ended Saturday, March 7, 2020 saw 79 aspirants make an appearance before the vetting committee out of which the fifteen were disqualified.

“Out of the 79, the committee found that 15 of them were somehow -their documentations and other things could not qualify them to contest in this primaries and that is going to be our report to be forwarded to National for consideration.

“At the end of the day, the national party will take a final decision of the vetting committee’s report and all the proposed disqualified aspirants have the opportunity to also petition the National Appeals committee for their case to be heard,” the Eastern Regional Secretary, Jeff Konadu, told the media after the exercise.

Some of the notable disqualified aspirants were Lawyer Philip Addison – Lead Counsel for the NPP during the landmark election petition of 2016 at the Supreme Court. Mr Addison was contesting the incumbent MP -Nana Ama Dokua also a Deputy Information Minister alongside William Agyei Twumasi an Accountant at Akropong Presbyterian College of Education who was also disqualified.

All four aspirants -Ernest Adade Owiredu, Kudjoe Amegah Kafui, Eric Agyarko

and Dr Benny Frank who were contesting the Incumbent Member of Parliament for Atiwa East, Abena Osei Asare, a Deputy Finance Minister, were also disqualified.

Dr Samuel Owusu Akyem, the only aspirant who was contesting the MP for Atiwa West-Kwasi Amoako Atta who doubles as the Roads and Highways Minister, was also disqualified.

The former Executive Director of International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Gloria Ofori -Boadu who was contesting Samuel Atta Akyea in Abuakwa South was disqualified. Given impetus for the Minister of Works and Housing to go unopposed.

The Abirim MP, John Osei Frimpong, may go unopposed as his two contenders – Frank Mireku Ahemah and Daniel Amoako Afrifa were disqualified. Frank Mireku Ahemah was arrested at the vetting ground by Police over allegations of fraud.

At Fanteakwa North, the incumbent MP, Kwabena Amankwa Asiamah, may go unopposed following the disqualification of his two contenders-Moro Sakyiama Yakubu and Freeman Ofori Agyarko.

Disappointed and furious supporters of the disqualified aspirants threatened to vote Skirt and blouse if the decision is not reversed. They accused the vetting committee of unfair disqualification ostensibly to allow some MPs to go unopposed.