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| Benito Owusu Bio, MP |
The Ashanti Regional Executives of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) has responded to a petition by Concerned Youth of Atwima Nwabiagya North against the Atwima Nwabiagya North Constituency executives who have been collecting signatures from delegates to allow the incumbent Member of Parliament, Hon Benito Owusu Bio go unopposed.
In a letter dated 28th March, 2019 and signed by the Party’s regional secretary and sighted by Boss Fm’s Odiasempa Kwaku Mensah, the Regional executives assured the youth group that the matter would be given the needed attention.
On 25th March, 2019, the concerned Youth of Atwima Nwabiagya North Constituency of the New Patriotic Party petitioned the Regional Excutives of the party against a looming danger, anger and doom that has a tendency of Costing their party, which the NPP may have to pay from an autocratic and unconstitutional move taken by some Constituency Officers and Electoral Area Coordinators.
It is purported that they (Constituency Executives and electoral area coordinators) have been bought by the near 16 years sitting Member of Parliament to assist him run unopposed in the upcoming Parliamentary Primaries later this year as contained in the petition.
It quotes; A great number of abled men and women out of the love we have for the NPP would like to bring to your Attention that though nominations have not been opened, yet polling station executives are threatened, and manipulated to sign a document that is intended to give the sitting Member of Parliament, Hon Benito Owusu Bio which is an undeserving popular acclamation to run unopposed lest, names of polling
Station executives be obliterated from the list on Primaries voting day.
Station executives be obliterated from the list on Primaries voting day.
Since this has been a normal practice by the Member of Parliament, many polling station executives for fear of facing similar fate suffered by lots of their colleagues during the most recent Constituency Executive Election where many legitimate names were missing and replaced by new names.
Some of which were even written in hand with correction fluid all over the register used in voting. These delegates have been signing to protect their names in the register.
The last thing Educated and party loving Youth of our caliber can entertain in this modern era.
The last thing Educated and party loving Youth of our caliber can entertain in this modern era.
According to the youth group, they can't sit unconcerned for such wrong and undemocratic acts to be perpetrated by no mean a person than Member of Parliament and Constituency executives who are widely known in the constituency as rubber stamp.
They therefore petitioned the Regional Executives to sanitize every insanity going on in their constituency before the Youth take up any action that may likely bring the name of the Party into disrepute.
Responding to their petition, the Ashanti Regional Executives of the party acknowledged receipt and showed appreciation to their concerns.
They were also advised not to take any further action(s) that may dent the image of the party and hope calm heads prevail as the party take steps to investigate and remedy any such situations.
Allowing Benito to Go Unopposed is Unconstitutional :
A group calling itself Concern Youth of Atwima Nwabiagya North are describing it as unconstitutional, attempts by the constituency executives to allow Member of Parliament for the constituency, Hon Benito Owusu Bio to go unopposed in the party’s approaching parliamentary primaries.
According to the group, the constituency executives in a series of meetings with the polling station executives concluded that nobody will be allowed to contest the sitting MP, a decision most of the polling station executives are not happy with.
Starting from first week of April, the constituency executives will send an endorsement forms to all the polling station executives to sign as they only need 40% and above the MP.
Concern youth of Awima Nwabiagya North believes this is totally against the party’s constitution and must be condemned.
The major political parties in Ghana have been democratizing their candidate selection process, allowing candidates to be freely selected through primary elections.
Nevertheless, the procedures employed by the parties to fill internal party positions or how they select candidates for parliamentary and presidential elections have not attracted the level of scholarly attention they deserve.
The problems that have characterised the Parliamentary primaries of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) keep recurring as the primaries are conducted across the various constituencies.
But a reliable source within the party in the constituency told Boss Fm’s Odiasempa Kwaku Mensah that they will not allow this to happen because it is totally wrong to make such a decision.
We will resist any attempt by the constituency executives to force us to sign and endorse Hon Benito Owusu Bio because he is not the only competent person in the party, the source added.
LEAKED AUDIO:
Ahead of a novelty Parliamentary primaries of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) is being characterized by confusion at various polling stations in the Atwima Nwabiagya North constituency as the polling executives are divided over the endorsement of the incumbent Member of Parliament, Hon Benito Owusu Bio to go unopposed which is contrary to Article 11 of the NPP constitution.
There is an audio going viral on social media platforms purported to be r recording of a meeting between the Atwima Nwabiagya North constituency Executives and polling station executives, where the polling station executives have been asked to sign an endorsement form presented to them to allow Hon Benito to go unopposed.
The meeting was held on Sunday 24th March, 2019 Adankwame electoral area, and in the audio, the first vice chairman of the constituency, Hon Frank Sarkodie was heard asking the polling executives to just sign the endorsement form for a reward.
According to Hon Sarkodie who chaired the meeting, the MP has promise them something and all they need to do is to endorse him.
On Monday 18th March, 2019 Concern Youth of Atwima Nwabiagya North described it as unconstitutional, attempts by the constituency executives to allow Member of Parliament for the constituency, Hon Benito Owusu Bio to go unopposed in the party’s approaching parliamentary primaries.
According to the group, the constituency executives in a series of meetings with the polling station executives concluded that nobody will be allowed to contest the sitting MP, a decision most of the polling station executives are not happy with.
Starting from first week of April, the constituency executives will send an endorsement forms to all the polling station executives to sign as they only need 40% and above the MP.
Concern youth of Awima Nwabiagya North believes this is totally against the party’s constitution and must be condemned.
The major political parties in Ghana have been democratizing their candidate selection process, allowing candidates to be freely selected through primary elections.
Nevertheless, the procedures employed by the parties to fill internal party positions or how they select candidates for parliamentary and presidential elections have not attracted the level of scholarly attention they deserve.
The problems that have characterized the Parliamentary primaries of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) keep recurring as the primaries are conducted across the various constituencies.
The youth vowed to resist any attempt by the constituency executives to force them to sign and endorse Hon Benito Owusu Bio because he is not the only competent person in the party.
In the latest audio, while some polling executives are seeking for better and further explanation from the constituency executives, others too want to sign without any enquiry for cash.
An executive was heard in the audio saying this exercise is being done everywhere in the country as according to him the majority leader in Parliament and Member of Parliament for Suame constituency, Hon Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu is also on the same agenda to go unopposed.
Ahead of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primaries in 2019, the party has issued a directive to all prospective MP aspirants to stop campaigning.
The party said parliamentary aspirants can only canvass for votes at a time the party approves, but until then, all campaigns in that regard should cease.
The General Secretary John Boadu said in a statement on Monday, November 12, 2018 said the "caution has become necessary following complaints the party has been receiving about the conduct of some prospective parliamentary aspirants who are overtly and covertly campaigning to delegates ahead of the opening of nominations."
The statement added: "The conduct of these persons does not only flout the party’s internal regulations but also undermines the very structures of the party, particularly at the constituency levels and regional levels."
It noted that parliamentary aspirant who fails to abide by the rules of engagement will be disqualified.
The leadership of the party in must act quickly in this constituency to avoid possible dangers that might occur.
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