NDC members demonstrate against President's nominee

Sunyani, April 22, GNA - Some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Sunyani East constituency have demonstrated against President John Atta Mill's nomination of Mr. Akwasi Oppong Ababio as the Municipal Chief Executive for Sunyani.

They claimed that it was unfair and unjust to deny Mr. Justice Samuel Adjei, the people's preferred choice for the position, because he had done so much for the party in the constituency over the last eight years.

The group marched through some principal streets of Sunyani holding placards some of which read, "We Want Justice", No Justice No MCE", "Justice is our Man", and "God has appointed Justice already". The demonstrators led by one Hudu Moro, their spokesperson, presented the petition to Mr. Eric Opoku, the Deputy Regional Minister. The petition appealed to President Mills to give the MCE slot to Justice Adjei, who stood on the ticket of the party during last year's parliamentary election, and lost.

It said all loosing parliamentary candidates of the party had been appointed as Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief executives and even those who had contested once had received "their fair share in President Mills's appointments."

The petition said since the nomination of Mr. Ababio, the municipality had become silent "because everyone is sad and disappointed."

"This development has already discouraged party foot soldiers, the various youth wings, ward coordinators, branch executives and party agents because if Justice Agyei, a gentleman who had spent all his time in the last eight years of opposition cannot be recognized , then how much we the ordinary members", the petition added.

Mr. Opoku who received the petition on behalf of the Regional Minister, said it would be forwarded to the President but appealed to them to remain calm whilst waiting for an appropriate response. In another development, Wenchi constituency office of the party was on Friday set ablaze by some supporters in protest against the nomination of Nana Yaw Osei Agyei as the MCE for the area. An eyewitness said but for the timely intervention of the Ghana National Fire Service the blaze would have been worse, adding it took the personnel of the fire station at Wenchi about an hour to bring the fire under control.

The supporters claimed that the President's nominee who stood as the candidate for the party in the December 2008 parliamentary election "is not a dedicated member", hence "Mr. Hakibu Dauda, the constituency secretary should be considered for the position." The demonstrators vowed to reject Osei Agyei, saying committed people were needed by the party to manage the affairs of the municipality. 22 April 09