Wayo Seini Eyes NDC Running mate Position

There are serious indications that Prof Wayo Seini, NDC MP for Tamale Central is seriously nursing ambitions of becoming the Vice Presidential candidate of the NDC in the next general elections.

This ambition of the former NPP Vice Chairman, according to many NDC supporters in the northern region, explain the unbelievable sanction and blessing the MP gave to the shameful and illegal manner the so-called Northern Regional Congress of the NDC was organized. (See details on page 5)

Media personnel as well as ordinary NDC sympathizers who were present at the so-called NDC northern regional congress last Saturday could not contain their shock when they realized that no mean a personality than a leading academic and MP would openly support the brutal show of force and the blatant disregard of rules of conduct and engagement that characterized the ?Comical Event? that s! ome of event organizers are describing as a regional congress.

Sources close to Prof Wayo Seini have confirmed to the Lens that the Tamale Central MP had been assured by the brains behind the ?Tamale Hijack Operation? that every strings will be pulled to ensure that he is given the position of running mate when the time comes for the choice to be made. This promise was however contingent on ensuring that the highly unpopular Alhaji Sumani Zakari emerge as the Chairman of the NDC in the northern region.

Since it was obvious, that in the event of a truly peaceful and democratic election, Alhaji Sumani had no realistic chances of winning the top position, the option of blatant force, violence and subterfuge became the only way out.

The Lens has learned that in the midst of the confusion, the Founder of the party attempted to reach Prof. Wayo Seini to prevail on him to put the supreme interest of the party in! to consideration but the latter would have none of it. Sources close to him later explained that what was personally at stake for him was so much, that there was no way he would have moderated his stance even if the Founder had spoken to him.

The Crystal Clear Lens has also learned that Alhaji Sumani Zakari widely believed to be the cause of the mess being described by some as ?NDC?S Black Sunday? was openly heard boasting that the national Chairman of the party, Dr. Obed Asamoah had doled out to him some hefty ?150 million cedis to ensure that the ?operation? was accomplished.

This was reiterated on Diamond Fm, last Wednesday by a popular NPP radio panelist, Suley, who stated on authority that some of them had heard Alhaji Sumani make those comments.

The host of the program on which Suley made the comment, Alhassan Suyini also confirmed on air that he saw offensive weapons being car! ried by supporters of Alhaji Sumani and he emphatically declared on air that, ?what took place on Sunday, cannot be called a Congress at all.?

Those who managed to stay through the shameful event, said it was amusing to see even persons who had not filed for positions being literally drafted in when it became obvious that the sham voting had created a situation where only Dagomba Andanis were holding virtually all the positions.

Many followers of the party the Lens has contacted stated that this will be a test case to see how truly committed the current national executives of the party are to the overriding goals of helping the party consolidate its massive strength in the region. To them, anything short of nullifying the results of the sham congress will be an indictment on them.

One respondent wondered why a regional Congress would even be held when at least four constituencies had not yet org! anized their constituency elections.