NPP Heading for Trouble

REPORTS AVAILABLE to this paper indicate there is growing tension among the rank and file of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Abokobi-Madina Constituency branch of the party in the Greater Accra Region.

The heightening tension and rancour gaining momentum within the party currently, emanates from complaints from party members and subsequent nullification of the constituency's elections held on November 5, 2005.

The party executives have declared the elections null and void based on various complaints received from peeved and worried party members about the manner in which the constituency elections were held prior to the regional and national elections.

Nana Ohene Ntow, the General Secretary of the party, last week in a letter to the National Organizer of the party, Mr. Lord Commey, copied to the regional chairman and constituency executives, directed that fresh elections be held.

The General Secretary stressed that in accordance with the party's constitution, the national organizer should oversee and supervise the conduct of the new election in conformity with the rules of fair play and transparency.

According to Nana Ohene Ntow, a careful study of the various petitions, complaints and protests, as well as in-depth investigations conducted into them revealed serious anomalies in the conduct of the elections.

He said for instance, "A notice for the elections was issued on November 4, 2005, only for the elections to be held the very next day. Furthermore, the venue for the elections was changed without due notice to key stakeholders such as some contestants, the parliamentary aspirants, etc. Thirdly, the polling station executives' album from which the delegates list was drawn is fiercely disputed."

Nana Ntow said, "In view of the above facts and other such developments, the results of the said election are hereby declared null and void."

Earlier, the constituency chairman, Mr. Kofi Asante, on hearing of the decision nullifying and declaring void the elections, vehemently protested. He told The Chronicle in a telephone conversation that it would be untenable for the party executives to take such action after he had voted for them at both regional and national elections, saying he saw no wisdom in the decision.

After receiving the written document, Mr. Asante has had his lawyers fire a letter at the party, threatening legal action against the party if it sustained the decision.

A letter dated May 31st, 2006 from the chambers of Mr. W.E Offei indicated that the decision by the party hierarchy was in breach of the constitution.

"Unfortunately, you did not hear the constituency chairman and his executives on the matter. You had a legal obligation to do so.

You were therefore in breach of the 'Audi Altenam Parten Rule' which is 'hear the other side'."

He contended that the nullification was accordingly void and ought to be reversed and stated that the constituency and regional elections were regularly and validly held.

According to the chairman's lawyer, "If any constituency election is set aside at this stage as having been irregular or unlawfully held, there is the danger of the national election itself being set aside by the courts," urging the executive of the party to weigh the implications. "Objections to elections must be timeous. The constituency election was held in November 2005 and it is unreasonable to raise an objection in May 2006," he claimed.

The disunity and grumbling within the Abokobi-Madina constituency NPP started after the November 5, 2005 elections.

A petition written by party gurus, who were sidelined in the elections, including the 2004 Parliamentary Candidate for the area, Mr. James Amoah, and Baba Zakaria, currently the presiding member of the Ga East District Assembly, chronicled events that necessitated the nullification of the elections.

In the petition to both the regional and national executives, the party members catalogued 'dubious and fraudulent' means by which the elections were conducted to the detriment of the NPP majority in the constituency.

The petitioners called for the upholding of the democratic principles in the constituency.

"The NPP is bigger than any person and no one should try in his own parochial way to make his own rules to the detriment of others," they admonished.

According to the petition, it was also important to note that all along, the constituency chairman and his executives were deceiving national and regional executives that they held all polling stations elections.

"They must be called to order, annul the elections of 5th November 2005 and let justice, fair play and democracy take its course," they pleaded, stressing further that no group of persons or individuals within the NPP family should be allowed to arrogate to themselves the sole right to determine who should lead them.

"We are in no doubt aware of the enormity of the task and problems that confronted our party, not only in Abokobi-Madina but elsewhere. We also believe that it is only through the concerted effort that we can marshal all the forces at our disposal in order to surmount these," the petition stated.

Meanwhile, at the maiden general meeting of the executives on December 3, 2005, the party admitted they were indeed in the minority.

In the minutes by the constituency secretary, he said, "The Secretary, Hajj Mumuni, Sulemana, advised members to remain committed and sincere in the activities of the party since an organized minority is better than a disorganized majority."