Confusion in Begoro NPP continues

A recent visit to Begoro in the Fanteakwa Constituency shows that the confusion over the parliamentary primaries in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) continues to rage on.

At the moment, patrons and other loyal members of the party have expressed their disgust and dismay at attempts by the current constituency executives to impose a parliamentary candidate, Mr. Kwadwo Agyei Addo, on the constituency.

This is contained in a statement signed and issued to register their complaint against the national party chairman at Begoro on March 1.

The statement, a copy of which The Chronicle has obtained, was signed by 20 patrons and loyalists like Okyeame Nyamesah, Nana Kyei Boateng, Sussana Mirekua, Gifty Tyie-Lar, Samuel Adu Amankwa, among others.

According to the patrons, the constituency executives? attempt to impose Agyei Addo as the party?s parliamentary candidate was naturally at variance with the party?s philosophy, democratic traditions and constitution.

Accordingly, there was the criminal forgery of a letter by the constituency executives to brand one of the parliamentary aspirants, Kofi Okyere Agyekum, an National Democratic Congress (NDC) man.

They observed that The Chronicle report that exposed the executives was naturally disagreeable to the whole party because it appeared that the NPP in Fanteakwa was being controlled by criminals and forgers.

Again, the patrons referred to the resolution that the executives had passed on December 22, last year, which purported to disqualify three other aspirants from the primaries, thereby presenting Agyei Addo unopposed. ?We are totally opposed to the moves by the constituency executives to impose Mr. Addo on us. If anything, he should be disqualified for lack of commitment and loyalty to the party,? they stated.

Giving reasons, they claimed that in 1996, they, the patrons, had approached Mr. Agyei Addo to contest the seat for Begoro on the ticket of the NPP, but he turned them down on three occasions with the excuse that his father was old and he was in charge of his business.

Also in 2000, Agyei Addo turned down their pleas to be the candidate or chairman of the party in the constituency.

When contacted on phone, Mr. Agyei Addo denied involvement in any attempt to impose himself on the constituency, wondering: ? who am I to impose myself on the constituency when the party and even the president cannot do that??

He denied also being approached by any patron to contest the parliamentary seat in 1996 and 2000.

As to whether this time round the NPP could wrest the seat from the NDC and to be precise, from Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, he was very optimistic that should he be given the nod to contest for the seat on the ticket of the NPP, there was no doubt that he would wrest the seat.

Meanwhile, the Fanteakwa Parliamentary seat has become very hot, as both the NDC and the NPP are working out strategies to enable them maintain or annex it for the first time.

While the NPP is struggling to elect a parliamentary candidate to contest it, the NDC is also struggling to elect a candidate to maintain it.

The latest report has it that the former District Chief Executive (DCE) for Fanteakwa, Mr. Collins Owusu Apea, has declared his intention to contest for the seat on the ticket of the NDC, believing that if presented as the parliamentary candidate, he would maintain the seat.

Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the incumbent MP has not declared his intention to stand this year.