Confusion Rocks B.A. NPP Secretariat

Confusion has hit the Brong Ahafo Regional Secretariat of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), following the entry of a Madam Margaret Asubonteng, who has filed her nomination at the Electoral Commission's office, to contest for the position of party treasurer.

Investigation by the Chronicle revealed that 24 people had filed their nominations to contest for nine executive positions, including a regional treasurer, at the party's regional delegates' congress slated for tomorrow.

However by the close of nominations, which fell on Friday October 21, this year, Mr. Francis Mensah Bonsu, the incumbent Regional NPP treasurer, was the only one to file his nomination for the position of regional treasurer.

The Regional Secretary of the NPP, Mr. A.K, Kusi, when contacted at his office, disclosed that he had heard that there was another contestant vying for the position of the regional treasurer, but quickly added that it was against the constitution of the party.

Mr. Kusi further stated that every contestant should file his/her nominations at the party's regional office but not at the Electoral Commission's offices.

He said, after hearing the news, he went to the EC's office to verify, but was told that the woman was accompanied by the outgoing regional chairman of the party, Mr. Kwadwo Yeboah Fordjour, to the EC office to file her nomination.

Mr. Kusi further noted that if what he heard from the Electoral Commission's office was true then the Regional Chairman had been unfair to the regional executives and has violated the party's constitution, which clearly spells out how nominations are filed.

He said that the EC has assured him that the mishap would be announced to the delegates on the election day before voting starts for them to decide whether to accept the woman's candidature or not, since the regional chairman quoted an article from the party's constitution which mandated that the woman qualified to file her nomination.

The Chronicle contacted the EC's office but was told, that it was not their duty to give out names of contestants, their duty was to print out ballot papers and supervise elections.

The paper was asked to contact the regional office of the party because they submitted the list of nominees to them to print, but did not instruct them to broadcast the names.

Mr. Mensah Bonsu, the aggrieved nominee, told the Chronicle that the steering committee of the party gave approval for nominations for all Regional Executive positions to open on October 8, this year and close on October 12, this year.

He further stated that for the purpose of receiving the nominations, the committee instructed that all regional secretariats should open from 8:00am to 5:00pm on the designated dates, after which that arrangement should be made to fax or otherwise dispatch, all nominations to reach headquarters by close of work on 0ctober 13, without fail.

Mr. Mensah Bonsu was amazed on how a party loyalist should go contrary to the orders given from the headquarters.

He said such a thing should not be tolerated in the party because the party has a constitution governing it.