Deputy Attorney General's Uncle Defects To NDC ?

The strange and bizarre lengths that politicians will go to achieve their fond dreams are being demonstrated in the Shai-Osudoku Constituency in the Greater Accra Region.

The District Chief Executive of the Dangme West, Mr. T.K.T Agban, cannot imagine that he will not be an honourable member of the Fourth Parliament of the Fourth Republic, courtesy of the 2004 parliamentary election. However, he is currently being hotly challenged for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ticket for that election by the Deputy Attorney-General/Minister of Justice, Miss Gloria Akuffo (in picture), who is his niece.

Apparently finding the heat from the niece too hot to bear, Mr. Agban has run to the rival National Democratic Congress (NDC) for help and has, at least, held one NPP constituency executive meeting in the house of an NDC financier. This action, NPP insiders complain, is undermining the ruling party.

About three Saturdays ago, the DCE virtually ordered the constituency executives to a meeting that was supposed to be "AN EXECUTIVE MEETING", but the guests ended up been chauffeured to the residence of an NDC stalwart at Akuse in the Eastern Region.

Once at the residence of his new found love, the DCE, used the opportunity to explain to his fellow guests why they should rally behind him as their parliamentary candidate.

The Weekend Heritage established that their host, an NDC stalwart cum financier, Mr. Kulape of Akuse took the floor and assured the party executives that, should the DCE win the party's parliamentary slot, a reward awaited them (the executive).

Mr. Kulape, well known for his business success, especially in the distillery industry, also assured his guests that though he was a well known NDC faithful, he would finance the constituency campaign if Mr. Agban, the DCE, got the nod.

The decision of the DCE to virtually lure his executives, some of whom had not known of the venue and the agenda till the 24th hour to Mr. Kulape's residence, has however generated hot debates not only among the executives but also the party followers.

Some leading party members who spoke to The Heritage over the issue have expressed fear that the DCE's action might in the long run favour the NDC.

The NDC can use Mr. Kulape to win some of our men if the DCE wins the primaries, because it is clear he has been bought", said a close source.

In a related development, the DCE's campaign team in the constituency has started some unconstitutional moves to have some party executives step down from their positions. One of such was evidenced when his campaign Manager, Mr. Livingston Dotse Agbodti, and the party's second vice, Mr. Henry Agbo Cudjo, another Agban loyalist, both visited the suburb of Sota and attempted to change the Sota polling station chairman.

The move back fired as the polling station chairman, Mr. Reckon Attah Kwao, petitioned the Regional Secretary, who wrote to instruct that there was no basis for moves to have him step down.

Meanwhile, some leading executives from the Regional Secretariat have been on a week's tour to the constituency to "prepare the grounds" ahead of the constituency congress. They were led by Mr. Albert Afaglo, Regional Secretary of the NPP.