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Regional News of Wednesday, 23 June 2004

Source: Chronicle

NPP Constituency Chairman Under Fire

The Cape Coast constituency chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Lawrence Saba has come under severe fire from a section of the party's polling station chairmen who have accused him of failing to attend executive meetings.

At an executive meeting last Friday to discuss the impending primaries, most of the polling station agents and a section of the executives called for his removal from office because he was said to be at the center of the rift that had bedevilled the party in Cape-Coast.

According to the Mr. William Besta - Simons, one of the chairmen, Saba had been deliberately absenting himself from crucial meetings with flimsy excuses and inciting others not to take their pictures for the constituency album, which was crucial for the primaries scheduled for the end of this month.

Already, Saba had come under severe criticism from the party supporters and activists in the municipality after boldly declaring his support for the incumbent Member of Parliament, Ms. Christine Churcher, who is alleged to have lost the support of some party members.

Besta -Simons warned the constituency executives that they would stay away from the primaries if adequate security measures were not put in place. This is because the recent violence that marred the vetting of the parliamentary contestants, provided ample example that anything could happen during the primaries which is the first of its kind in Cape-Coast.

About 108 polling station chairpersons are expected to cast their votes in the primaries.

However, Mr. Andrew K.B. Simons, first constituency vice chairman advised supporters to refrain from any negative acts that might jeopardize the fortunes of the party in the general election. He told the polling station chairpersons who numbered about 60 that the NDC was watching the events unfolding in their camp, which they might easily capitalize on to edge them out.

The vice chairman, therefore, appealed for calm between the two factions of Ms. Churcher and Mr. Edwin Godwin Buckman, her opponent, in order to ensure peaceful primaries.