The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) says government has started increasing the District Assembly Common Fund in addition to advancing loans to individuals in the Bimbilla constituency ahead of a bye-election for the seat.
The party says this constitutes abuse of incumbency on the part of government ostensibly to win the vote and confidence of the people in the Bimbilla constituency.
The Bimbilla seat became vacant on Thursday following the formal resignation of the MP, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas who takes up his new position as the Executive Secretary of ECOWAS.
But the NDC says no amount of such coercing of voters will deter it from retaining the seat. The party’s General Secretary, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya told JOY FM that the Bimbilla constituency is a stronghold of the NDC adding that the party will win the bye-election when it is eventually held.
“We are aware that all of a sudden, they have been common fund distributions, loans and other things but I want to say that the people are very steadfast and we will surely win. We will do our campaign seriously, diligently, a clean campaign and I can assure you that we will win the seat.”
Alhaji Huudu Yahaya said the party’s drawn up strategy for the bye-election is being implemented and it will soon go to congress to elect its candidate for the constituency.
....NPP Says NDC Is Paranoid
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has denied claims by the NDC that it is taking advantage of its incumbency to win the parliamentary bye-elections in Bimbilla. The bye-election will be held within the next 30 days to elect a Member of Parliament to replace Dr Mohammed Ibn Chambas who relinquished his seat on Thursday to take up a new appointment as Executive Secretary of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).The opposition NDC is alleging that government has increased the District Assembly Common Fund to the Bimbilla constituency and is advancing loans to individuals in the constituency, all in a bid to win the bye-election. But the ruling NPP’s General Secretary Dan Botwe told JOY FM that the NDC is being paranoid.
According to him, the NDC used money to win votes when it was in power and they are afraid that the NPP will do the same. He wondered how the NPP could just use one month to do dirty campaigning and win the seat, which the NDC has won in the past. Mr. Botwe says the alleged increment of the District Assembly Common Fund to woo votes is a non-issue.
He questioned how an increment in the common funds in these last moments could impact on the electorates. The Electoral Commission is awaiting formal notification of the vacancy from the Clerk of Parliament following which the bye-elections will be held in 30 days.
