The Greater Accra Regional chairman of New Patriotic Party (NPP) has confirmed the disqualification of one Carlos Ahenkorah as a Parliamentary aspirant in the Tema West constituency.
[contextly_sidebar id=”RnB8fZMB9uQWIDblJE0bSH08CNNA3Mai”]It will be recalled that some party delegates last week held a press conference warning of massive protests if Carlos Ahenkorah is disqualified.
The Regional chairman, Ishmael Ashitey told Citi News, Mr. Ahenkorah was disqualified because he has not nurtured the party at the constituency level.
“In the case of Carlos, they say he has not nurtured the party at the constituency. I know he has nurtured the party itself at so many levels. But I am not a member of the constituency so that one I cannot tell. That is the reason why they decided to disqualify him,” Chairman Ashitey said.
Ahenkorah was tipped to be one of the favorites in the constituency to unseat incumbent Naa Torshie Addo and the delegates say his disqualification gives undue advantage to the current MP.
Addressing allegations of bribery of the vetting committee members by incumbent Naa Torshie Addo, the Regional Chairman said he has no knowledge of such allegations.
“Out of the five people, who vetted Carlos, three of them are from the constituency and all the three are of the view that he has not nurtured the constituency. Who am I to say that he has nurtured the constituency?” he asked.
He added that “if there have been a lot of proper consultation then we would have known that even if he has not nurtured the constituency he has nurtured the party in so many ways.”
He said Mr. Ahenkorah can take advantage of the various levels of the appeals committee to argue his case out.
This decision by the vetting committee has not gone down well with some party delegates in the constituency who had early on warned of massive demonstrations if Carlos is disqualified.
They gathered in front of the Greater Accra regional chairman’s house to register their displeasure.
They questioned the NPP’s readiness to win power in 2016 saying, “it is an orchestration by some few people to make sure Naa Torshie goes unopposed. We are going to resist we are going to make that Carlos Ahenkorah contests we are warning them to overturn the decision.”
Another delegate also urged the party to give everybody in the constituency a chance to contest so the delegates can make a choice.
“Let’s open the competition and let them run.”
By: Betty Kankam-Boadu/citifmonline.com/Ghana