This is a candid question on the minds of everyone from Ablekuma South. We love our
flagbearer, no doubt and want him to be the next president in 2012. We believe he
stands tall above President John Evans Atta Mills, his ever divided party and its
hollow "Better Ghana Agenda".
But we have a problem. We hear Nana Addo wants Ms Ursula Owusu to be the Member of
Parliament for Ablekuma South. This is not hearsay, but a revelation that came to
light at a Womens' Wing meeting on the 10th December 2010.
The National Headquarters of the New Patriotic Party has written to every
constituency, including Ablekuma South about campaigning for one candidate or the
other, until it[National HQ of NPP], opens nominations. But this order is being
flouted by some of the constituency executives in Ablekuma South.
It seems for all the court action and acrimony that plagued the constituency,
resulting in the inability of that constituency to participate in the flagbearership
elections of 7 August 2010, that section of the executive is strongly spearheading
the candidature of Ms Ursula Owusu.
One of such is the Constituency Organiser, afectionately known as "Abu Rasta". They
would organise a meeting of the membership and shortly after they["Abu Rasta" and
his goons] leave the meeting, Ms Ursula Owusu would turn up to address the
gathering. It has been detected as a ploy to always get Ms Ursula Owusu to address
party delegates in the area, with the view to win them.
This Womens' wing meeting on the 10th December 2010 was no different. But Ms Ursula
Owusu would have the gathering believe that she's the candidate of choice. She told
the gathering that Nana Addo asked her to "come to Ablekuma South to help the
constituency and that is why she wants to be their Member of Parliament".
Many in the gathering were clearly very displeased. They were not happy because it
looked like an imposition for a start by Nana Addo, the flagbearer and Leader of the
party and more, the ban on such campaigning had not been lifted. Again, there are
other names known to be interested in this seat, who have not been given the same
privilege of addressing such gatherings.
We know that a Mr Osei is very interested. John Boadu, former National Youth
Organiser has been linked to being interested as well as Ben Brown - a past
contestant at the primaries of Ablekuma South in 2008, Mr Bart Plange, Francis Kojo
Smith, a prominent Lawyer who was the candidate at the last elections in 2008, a Mr.
Derek rumoured to be from London, though he is yet to declare and Mr Charles Biney,
who was one of the contestants that challenged Ben Brown and Francis Kojo Smith at
the party's primaries.
We also know the former Attorney General Nii Ayikoi Otoo was also interested, though
that is also not a very strong possibility. We also hear there are 2 others very
interested but are yet to come forward. Mr Ben Brown, Mr Osei, Mr Charles Biney and
Mr Bart Plange in addition to Ms Ursula Owusu are known to have openly declared
their interest in the seat. We would therefore exepct them all to be given an equal
crack at the seat.
This is democracy and everyone should be given an equal chance to get the seat. Why
is Ms Ursula Owusu going about telling us that she is the candidate that Nana Addo
wants?? If that's true, then this is very unfortunate.
Nana Addo cannot tell us who we should choose. Try as we do, we don't think Nana
Addo will impose anyone on anybody, least of all Ablekuma South. We have had our
fair share of troubles and would want someone who understands our troubles and
passion.
If indeed, it is Ms Ursula Owusu, then it is all well and good, but the last thing
we would welcome will be the preferential treatment being offered Ms Ursula Owusu at
the moment. It is also rumoured, though not proven that the Constituency
Organiser[Abu Rasta] has the blessing of the the Constituency Chairman, Mr
Theophilus Tetteh. We would like to think it is untrue because the Chairman is a
very good person and understands the risks in doing so.
We would advise the constituency executives and others to give a fair platform to
everyone and to wait till the ban on such activities is lifted by the National
Office[of the NPP].
Already, there are also some rumours with names implicated in a $20,000 money
giveaway by one candidate to another.
We can't prove the source of the rumour neither can we establish who the money has
been claimed to have been given by. We continue to keep our eyes and ears to the
ground, but any such attempts will be strongly resisted by us.
We also want Nana Addo, who we were told by his office is out of the country, but
were not specific where, to condemn/deny such a claim by Ms Ursula Owusu and any
such underhand techniques, to gain an upperhand in the minds of the delegates.
Initially, we knew she was going to Adenta, where she lives. How she turns up in
Ablekuma South is a mystery to all of us.
We love Ablekuma South, we love the NPP, the last thing we would want is to have a
division in the ranks. Already, this is brewing and it will allow the NDC to
perpertrate their theft of the ballot and retain the seat if these unfortunate
events are allowed to continue.
Thank You...
Nii Quartei on behalf of Concerned NPP Supporters, Ablekuma South
