Stop tribal politics - former MP

Agona Swedru, Oct 29, GNA- Mr Samuel Oppong, former National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Agona West has appealed to Ghanaians to shun tribal politics, because it would not be good for the nation's young democracy. He said anybody from any part of the country whom the people in their own wisdom think could lead them to develop the nation should be elected.

He was speaking to newsmen at Agona Swedru, after the NDC primaries, which elected Mr Ibrahim Zubairu, lecturer at Accra Polytechnic as the Party's parliamentary candidate for the area at the weekend.

He urged those who were not happy that an indigene of the area was not chosen to rather support the elected candidate because he could lead the party to victory in the 2008 general elections.

Mr Zubairu polled 153 votes to beat Mr Kweku Tetteh, lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, who had 90 votes. Mr Oppong said the time has come for the people to allow individuals with expertise to be elected to higher offices to promote socio-economic advancement of the country.

He said the world is fast changing and that those who are not ready to contribute towards the development of the country must step aside for people who are set to work to be elected to higher position. The former MP said the NDC does not discriminate when it comes to electing candidates and urged them to vote massively for Mr Zubairu to develop the area.

He said during the first republic, the Member of Parliament for the area, who was from the Volta Region, was instrumental in having the Agona Kwayanko Dam built.

He urged the constituency executives to prepare well by sending out the right messages for the candidate to win the elections. Mr Oppong advised party members to avoid using insulting, abusive and defamatory language against other political parties to ensure a peaceful election.

The former MP denied rumours that he had defected to another party that was why he refused to contest the primaries, saying that, "he was currently in school and would not be able to contest elections"