TESCON members hoot at Kofi Jumah

An attempt by the Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Hon. Maxwell Kofi Jumah to turn a TESCON meeting organized by students of the Kumasi campus of the University of Education-Winneba into a campaign ground landed him in an embarrassing situation, after students of the university subjected him to booing and hooting last Saturday.

The firebrand NPP MP left the premises of the university feeling mortified after some student supporters of the party prevented him from campaigning for his favourite candidate. Mr. Kwadwo Alan Kyerematen.

Hon. Jumah had taken his turn during time for optional speeches to address members of the university's branch of Tertiary Education Students Confederacy of the NPP on unity within the party, when he incidentally veered off track and began to sing the praises for Mr. Kyerematen, stressing the need for the NPP to reject Nana Akufo-Addo and elect Mr. Kyerematen as the flag bearer in order to enhance its chances of winning the 2012 elections.

The MP was hardly given the chance to deliver his message when the students started jeering and hooting him. The TESCON members who were holding their congress to elect a bunch executives, did not take kindly to the controversial MP's decision to malign other presidential aspirants, considering the fact that the tertiary students wing of the party were supposed to be a neutral group with no allegiance to any candidate.

Known for his open bias against the former flag bearer of the party, Hon. Jumah attempted unsuccessfully to drum home the point that Nana Addo was not a good choice, and that if re-elected as the presidential candidate, it could pose serious challenges to die chances of the party in the 2012 elections.

But before the Asokwa MP could complete his statement, some of the students started shouting in the local dialect: "Yenpe saa wo ha,” meaning, “We don’t want that here.” "Ye pe asomdwee nenkabom," meaning "We want peace and unity in our party".

The incident nearly disrupted the rather peaceful programme which was attended by a host of NPP dignitaries including MPs and founding members of the party.

Some of the students who spoke to The Chronicle after the programme expressed worry about the bickering and animosity that have characterized the campaign for the flag bearer slot within the party.

They criticized the Asokwa MP and others like him who openly declare their support for particular candidates and slander their opponents.

Meanwhile, the university's TESCON branch has elected the first ever female president of the wing since its establishment barely two decades ago.

Fidelia Kudaariwo, a second-year Accounting student, who hails from Tamale in the Northern Region, was elected the president.