NDC sacks Obuasi independent candidate

Adelaide Borden, the former Ghana Mine Workers Union, who is contesting the forthcoming parliamentary elections in the Obuasi constituency as an Independent candidate, has been sacked by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for flouting party directives.

According to the NDC, Ms Borden, a member of the 31st December and NDC, was sacked alongside with Victor Gheho and 10 others for filing their nominations as Independent candidates.

Ms. Borden rose from obscurity to a district icon when she was elected as the first woman to head the local mine workers? union.

Her popularity evaporated into thin air when she cunning led a sit-down strike against the Obuasi mine, allegedly with the support of her political masters. Dejected and unemployed, her loyal supporters, market women and some of the traditional leaders in the municipality blamed her for plunging the mine into strike in 1999, which negatively affected the local economy and the mine.

The sack of Ms Borden, who in recent times had unceasingly denied her association with the NDC and the 31st December Movement via the media, has changed the political landscape in the Obuasi Municipality.

The parliamentary race is now between Justice Dasah of NDC and NPP?s Bob Ennin, according to political watchers. Dasah, an Adansi-Odumase born and bred, was the District Director of National Mobilization Corp during the NDC era.

He has no charisma and would have been a no match against Ms Borden but analysts say her sack may shore up the fortunes of Dasah, come December 7. He is quite popular with rural voters in the constituency due to his mobilization activities in the late 1990s.

His fraternity with the northerners in Obuasi may also help him. Described as ?Obuasi Romeo,? Bob Ennin, a Computer Scientist from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology is an Insurance Broker. His power of oratory and the resources at his disposal have put him hundreds of kilometers ahead of other contestants.

Commenting on the decision to expel these independent renegades from the party, Josiah Aryeh, General Secretary of NDC noted in a release that, ?It has come to the notice of the party that some independent candidates are claiming that they are still members of the NDC and so the supporters and sympathizers of the party should vote for Prof John Atta Mills and for them.?

Dr. Aryeh, who is also the Chairman of the Functional Executive Committee of the NDC, added that the activities of these independent candidates ?tendered to confuse the electorate as to who truly represents the party in the constituency.? ?The ex-Union secretary had been telling her following that she was on her own and that she had nothing to do with the NDC and the 31 December Movement, so the question on may lips was, why then was the NDC expelling her. The cat is now out of the bag and her credibility has been irreparably punctured,? James Boateng Agyare, a 45- year old mechanic in Obuasi said.

?The simple logic is that if you are not a member of the NDC, the NDC cannot sack or expel you, Auntie Borden lied and she has to face the truth,? commented Mrs. Esi Dadeba, an NDC supporter at Bogobiri/Obuasi.