Some supporters of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Asawase Constituency of the Ashanti Region have rejected the party’s Functional Executive Committee’s disqualification of Mr Mubarick Masawudu from the parliamentary primary.

By consequence of the FEC decision, the incumbent Member of Parliament for the constituency, Mr Muntaka Mubarak, automatically becomes the party’s 2020 parliamentary candidate.

The group says it will not allow the FEC to subvert the will of the good people of the party in the Asawase constituency.

A statement released by FEC on Tuesday, 3 September 2019 signed by the General Secretary of the party, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, said the decision of FEC was “due to the acceptance of the report of the Committee for Settlement of Outstanding Disputes (the Doe Adjaho Committee) at a FEC sitting on Tuesday, 3 September 2019.”

The statement revealed that “three of the petitions from the aggrieved aspirants, including Mr Masawudu Mubarick, were referred to the Committee.

“Two of the petitions relating to Asunafo South and Banda constituencies were amicably settled. By this decision, Hon. Muntaka Mubarak goes unopposed and for that matter stands elected as the parliamentary candidate for the Asawase Constituency.”

However, the NDC youth in Asawase, in a separate statement on Wednesday, 4 September 2019, condemned the FEC decision.

“We, the Concerned NDC Youth in Asawase Constituency, wish to condemn this act of unconstitutionality being exhibited by the FEC. The NDC is a party that was established on the principles of democracy and no individual should be allowed to be above the laws of the party.”

The group further assured the top hierarchy of the party that the youth of Asawase “are not going to sit down” for the FEC to bend the laws governing the party, adding that it condemns and rejects the FEC decision “in no uncertain terms.”

“This is a calculated attempt by some self-seeking individuals in the party, who think their interest should supersede that of the party,” the group claimed.

The group said it will not allow FEC to “subvert the will of the good people of the NDC in Asawase” and urged FEC to “withdraw the letter with immediate effect, since it is not in good faith with the tenets of the constitution of the NDC”, as, it warned, it will not “countenance any action by some self-seeking individuals that will have dire consequences on the fortunes of the party in the 2020 general elections.”