NDC orders its Anlo constituency to hold primary

Sogakope, Sept. 17, GNA - The Executives of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has issued an ultimatum to the Anlo constituency executives of the party to re-open and close a new parliamentary nomination by September 19, to be followed with a primary on September 27.

At a closed-door crises meeting on Tuesday at Sogakope with the constituency executives, the national executives, led by Dr. Obed Asamoah, national chairman insisted that due democratic process be followed in the constituency to allow all interested persons to file for nominations, be vetted and partake in the primary.

Sources close to the meeting told the press that, if the constituency fails to hold the primary by the September 27, the constituency executive committee would be dismissed and an interim one put in place to organize the primary.

The Anlo constituency remains deadlocked in the filing of nominations and holding of a primary, both of which the constituency executives were suspected of blocking with the intent to impose a candidate of their choice.

Francis Nyonyo Agboada, the Regent of the Anlo Awomefia Stool who showed the desire to run on NDC ticket, seemed to be the favourite of the constituency executives and some delegates.

A resolution, allegedly endorsed by the executives and about 70 per cent of the constituency delegates, was recently forwarded to the NDC headquarters, expressing their support for Regent Agboada as their only parliamentary choice for the 2004 polls.

Attempts by other aspirants, Victor Gbeho, current independent MP for the area, Clen Sowu, a former MP for the area and Kofi Humado, an Engineer to file their nominations had been blocked by the executives, when nominations opened and closed two times.

They refused to make available nomination forms to the three and as well refused to accept their filings on forms the headquarters provided them with, insisting that the Regent was their only candidate. Ironically, the Regent Agboada also failed to file when nominations opened for the two previous times, and the party headquarters is insisting he cannot be endorsed as a candidate, when he had not filed, demanding that, a new nomination be opened for all.

Reasons for the support for the Regent was that he alone financed activities of the constituency for the past three years, while the other three were said to have deserted the party when even their offices were locked for non-payment of rents.

The venue for the Sogakope meeting for which only the constituency executives and delegates had been invited, was however, besieged by large party supporters from the Anlo area, who intended to demonstrate in favour of Agboada, but only rescinded that idea, after talks with the Volta Regional Executives.

Apart from solving the Anlo stalemate, the meeting, which was later followed with a mini-rally and attended by executives and functionaries from Keta, Akatsi, Ketu, North and South Tongu districts, was meant to strategies and kick-start the campaigns in the Volta Region for election 2004.

Other ranking personnel present included Dr. Farouk Braimah, Propaganda Secretary, Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, National Organiser, Kofi Aggery, Deputy Organiser, Lee Ocran, Deputy Chairman, Hajia Lardi Ayamba, deputy Women organizer, MPs from all the districts and the Volta Regional Executives of the party.

Dr. Asamoah called on Ghanaians to vote the Government out of power in election 2004, saying, there would be more hardship for the country should the government wins power again. Similar meetings and rallies have been planned for Wednesday and Thursday at Kpandu and Kadjeibi.