Tribal Politics At the Highest Peak in the NPP

Aggrieved Members of Ayawaso West Constituency To Break Away

Some aggrieved members of the NPP who have formed a group calling itself ?Obia Nya Obia? in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency are gearing up to do a massive protest to the NPP national headquarters soon to voice out their concern against what they consider to be ?gross injustice and tribal bias? that came to light last Saturday during the constituency elections.

To members of the group, the recent constituency elections must be declared null and void. They have also vowed that any attempts by the Regional and National executives to sweep the crisis under the carpet will spark the doom of the party in the constituency.

A member of the group who spoke to the Lens on conditions of anonymity disclosed that the MP for the area, Hon. (Mrs.) Akusoa Frema-Opare ! in pursuance of some clandestine agenda, has virtually sidelined all non-Akans and was behind the moves that found expression in the way all non Akans that contested for various positions at the just concluded constituency election were all voted against. ?You won?t believe it. Every single one of the newly elected executives is an Akan?. The Lens can reveal that those who were elected are as follows: Omare Wady took the post of Chairman, Oduro Boateng and David Ankomah Dokyre were elected first Vice Chairman and second Vice chairman respectively. The new Secretary is John Twumasi with Shampa emerging as his Assistant. Kwadwo Asante, Kwadwo Yeboah, Alfred Obeng Mensah and Grace Boakye took the posts of Treasurer, Youth Organizer, Constituency Organizer Women Organizer respectively.

The names of some of the non Akans who were systematically rejected through what is believed to the tribal schemings of th! e MP, Hon. (Mrs.) Akusoa Frema-Opare, are the following: Rashid Alidu for Secretary, Hon. Ibrahim Osman for Organiser, Maxwell Asiamah for Youth Organiser and Irene Atsu who contested for the post of Women Organiser.

According to members of the group, 95% of the executives from the Polling Stations to the Constituency level are all Akan. They contend that these are systematic plans designed by the MP for the area to manipulate delegates in her favor when the time comes for primaries. They also alleged that there are serious plans in place to ensure that the delegates from the constituency elect an Akan as thenext flag bearer. ?This is another major reason behind the MP?s diabolical tactics?, members of the group reveal.

The MP is accused of being very divisive and tribalistic, always suspicious of any perceived to be close to the former MP Hon. Isaac Amooh. But for the mature way the former MP continues to handle issues in the area, the constituency would have been seriously divided.

The group called for fresh elections at the constituency. ?If they want peace to prevail in the party then fresh constituency elections must be held? they emphasize.

Some members of the group alleged that on the eve of the constituency elections, the MPs? son, Attah, who owns a shop at Accra Girls? Secondary School, was seen distributing one hundred thousand cedis to each delegate in the night. When he was confronted, he denied bribing delegates saying he was only paying some debts to his creditors.

A follow up interaction by ! The Lens, with supporters of the party in some communities within the constituency like Roman Ridge, Dzorwulu, and Okponglo revealed that many supporters of the party hold the same perception that the MP is very tribalistic. They asked that the Regional and National Executives of the party should quickly intervene to save the situation.