Wa, June 3, GNA - An aspiring New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Nadowli West Constituency in the Upper West Region has publicly announced his resignation from the Party, and pitched camp with the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). Mr Lawrence Banyen, who said he joined the NPP when it was founded and played significant but diverse roles towards it growth, announced his defection at a press conference organized for him by the Regional Secretariat of the NDC at Wa on Thursday.
He said he was the Nadowli North now Nadowli West parliamentary candidate for the NPP in the 1996 general election.
Giving reasons for his resignation, Mr Banyen, who was the Regional Youth Organizer of the NPP from 1998 to 2001, cited lack of democracy within the NPP for his decision.
He said: "I filed my nomination as a right (not a privilege) to contest in the Nadowli West parliamentary primaries. To my utter dismay, I was told to step down by the powers that be for a preferred candidate."
Mr. Banyen, who expressed his disappointment about the turn of events, claimed that, "all the people who are now parading for the parliamentary ticket for the Nadowli West, did not associate themselves with the NPP when it was in opposition".
The former NPP member said he came to the conclusion that this undemocratic treatment meted out to him was not only unfair but also malicious.
He described his resignation from the NPP as a matter of principle and not for any other consideration. Mr Banyen called on "thousands of disgruntled and marginalized colleagues, who are still in the NPP to muster courage and join the NDC without any delay or hesitation".
Mr Seidu Braimah, Deputy Regional Chairman of the NDC, asked all District Chief Executives, who have been elected parliamentary candidates of the NPP, to resign, warning them not to use resources of the assemblies for their campaigns. 3 June 04
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