Ashanti NDC denies defection story

Kumasi, Sept. 21, GNA -- The Ashanti regional branch of the National Democratic congress (NDC) has denied that its Offinso South constituency Propaganda Secretary has defected to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as is being speculated in a section of the media. It said the Propaganda Secretary, Mr Kwame Opoku, was still at post and had never defected to any party in the constituency.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Kumasi, in the presence of the Propaganda Secretary, Mr Akwasi Abayie, Ashanti Regional Organiser of the NDC, appealed to Party faithful in the constituency to remain calm and that everything was under control.

He said one Ibrahim Osman, who was alleged to have defected to the NPP with others was not the constituency propaganda secretary, but a member of the NDC at Abofour-Kyebi, who did not hold any position in the Party.

Mr Abayie said Osman's alleged defection was orchestrated by the constituency executives of the NPP, who had pledged to support him in his bid to contest as assembly member in the Kyebi electoral area. He said the NDC was going to win the Offinso South seat to prove to the whole country that the Party was still vibrant. Mr Abayie, who was accompanied by his deputy, Alhaji Sani, pointed out that NDC would not be intimidated by smear political campaigns by its opponents and said all what the party needed was a fair play in the conduct of the by-election.

He said so far, two candidates had filed nominations to contest the primary of the party.

They are one Miss Barbara Serwaah Asamoah and Mr S.K. Addae, a former Chief Executive of Offinso.