Wa Central NPP Chairman against opening nominations

Wa, Sept 9, GNA - Mr Adbulai Safana, Wa Central Constituency Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, on Wednesday said the re-alignment of communities following the creation of the Wa East and Wa West seats should not be used as a justification to re-open nominations in Wa Central.

He explained that, just as some communities joined the Wa Central constituency from Wa East after the demarcation, several other communities were also carved out to join Wa East while other areas were placed under Wa West, but the regional executive did not see any need to open fresh nominations in Wa West.

The Constituency Chairman mentioned some of the communities which joined Wa West from Wa East to include Ga, Nyoli, Damangili, Sonouori, Naaha, Poyentanga, Wechiaw-Boo, Manyeyiri, Gadi and Sagabaluu. He was reacting to a recent news conference by Alhaji Yakubu Osman, First Vice-Chairman of the Constituency, in which he pushed for fresh nominations because some communities had joined it from Wa East after the demarcations.

Mr Safana said, "if Alhaji Osman and the regional executive are calling for the opening of fresh nominations, in Wa Central, the same should be applied to Wa West where Major Yirimanbo (Rtd) who earlier filed to contest for Wa Central has been acclaimed as candidate without challenge".

"By calling for the confirmation of Mr Clement Eledi a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture as parliamentary candidate without further delay, I was conveying the mood and sentiments of majority of party members and swing voters in the constituency who are prepared to vote for him".

Mr Safana pointed out that it was outside the authority of the regional or constituency executives to call for the opening of nominations for communities, which were in another constituency when they had not made any collective request for that and were satisfied with Mr Eledi as their candidate.

"The communities concerned have intelligent and discerning people who cannot be used by anybody to achieve his selfish goals", he stated. The Constituency Chairman said, "re-opening of nominations for any person or group of people will be disastrous to the electoral fortune of the party in the constituency because Mr Eledi is currently the popular choice of the people".

When the NPP opened nominations last year, only Mr Eledi who is a lawyer and Major Edward Yirimanbo filed to contest the Wa Central seat. However, after the recent demarcation of district and constituency boundaries, Major Yirimanbo moved to Wa West where he hails from and was popularly acclaimed as its parliamentary candidate.

Mr Eledi and majority of party supporter at Wa Central where he is also a citizen were expecting similar treatment but a section of the constituency have been pushing for one Mr Mohammed Kpegla Adama to challenge him.