Five constituencies in the Western Region are not participating in the ongoing New Patriotic Party [NPP] Constituency level elections in the Western Region.
This is due to internal party wrangling among other factors.
The five constituencies that have been suspended from holding the elections are Shama, Kwesiminstim, Ellembelle, Evalue Ajomoro Dwira and the Sekondi Constituencies all in the southern part of the Western Region.
Some candidates in these constituencies had expressed worry over alleged attempts by some party executives to sideline others.
Even though the Western Regional Minister, Dr. Kweku Afriyie, was ordered by a Sekondi high court to intervene and restore confidence in the process, others went ahead to secure new court injunctions.
The Western Regional Secretary of the party, Charles Nanabayin Onuawonto Cromwell Bissue, in a Citi News interview explained that “the crux of what happened in three constituencies all gets down to suspicion, and that has generated into other things. The matter with [Shama, Kwesimintsim and Ellembelle] went to court, and the court mandated the Regional Minister to deal with them. Two of them have been resolved, but Ellembelle is yet to be resolved”.
Mr. Cromwell Bissue, who is also a presidential staffer continued that “in Sekondi this morning [Saturday February 24] we heard that there has been an injunction on the elections that stopped us from going ahead with the elections. We are yet to ascertain the veracity of that issue, but I can confirm that is not coming up. Evalue Ajomoro Gwira had a special case, so they wrote to the General Secretary which has been accepted. They will now hold their election on the 5th March.”
Mr. Bissue emphasized the problem of suspicion among potential candidates and some executives.
He explained that “what we have had to deal with is the suspicion that somebody is manipulating things in the constituency to get his or her cronies into the race”.
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By: Obrempong Yaw Anmpofo/citifmonline.com/Ghana