‘Mourners’ invade NDC headquarters

“An angry National Democratic Congress (NDC) supporters from the Gomoa West Constituency, wearing traditional mourning attire of red and black and singing war songs and shouting defiant slogans on Tuesday besieged the NDC headquarters in Accra and demanded the withdrawal of Mrs. Ama Benyiwa Doe, Deputy Minister of Employment and Social Welfare as the party’s parliamentary candidate for the December 2000 elections” reports the Free Press.

The protesters, according to the paper, also demanded the removal of their District Chief Executive, Mr. Ishmael Arthur from office.

The Free Press says the protesters, confiding in the paper, alleged that for the past years, Mrs. Benyiwa Doe had not been performing well although she allegedly influenced the electorates with ?25,000 each to vote for her.

“We are fed up with her,” a female demonstrator who said they were at the headquarters for the fourth occasion, is quoted to have said. She is reported as saying however that they are not being given hearing.

The Free Press report carries that some of the aggrieved members threatened to resign and join the NPP if the NDC remained adamant and go ahead to impose Mrs. Benyiwas Doe on them as the party’s choice.

General Secretary, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, is reported to have given the assurance that he would carry their demands to the party hierachy but the angry party activists according to the paper could not be calmed by the promise.

The Free Press story carries that by press time on Tuesday, the demonstrators had “virtually taken the party headquarters hostage, waiting for Alhaji Yahaya’s message.”