Gen. Sec. of NPP; John Boadu
Some Members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Asokwa Constituency of the Ashanti region have strongly cautioned party leadership against trying to impose the incumbent MP; Patricia Appiagyei on them.
They say some pronouncements of some party leaders after the vetting is in bad taste and makes them very uncomfortable.
“While we were still trying to process bits and pieces of information gleaned from the vetting, we heard our party’s General Secretary on radio still talking about maintaining female MPs in their seat. For us, this is a no no and against the democratic principles we believe in”, one of the NPP youth stated.
They went to the extent of suggesting that they will support people to contest as independent and vote against the NPP should they go ahead with their “suspicious plot to maintain our non-performing MP”.
One of the agitated NPP youth who introduced himself as an executive of Asokwa Concerned Youth also announced that the youth of the party will stage a huge demonstration on Monday to let the party leadership know how serious they are.
They say efforts have been made right from the get go to dislodge Dr. Francis Nana Yaw Boakye; the only person who has put himself out to contest the sitting MP.
They catalogued the following reasons for their forthcoming demonstration:
The young man was refused forms at the constituency and regional levels and eventually had to pick forms from the party’s headquarters in Accra.
Submission of his forms was also not without drama as the constituency chairman showed up late, sacked everyone that came with the Doctor and vented his spleen before accepting the form eventually. His, unlike his opponent was devoid of any form of fanfare.
They suspect the plot to dislodge the young doctor is far from over as he was unnecessarily heckled during his vetting and told he is a young man and has a lot of time ahead. Some insisted they do not know him although he proved he is the regional Health coordinator whose certificates attesting to some of his activities had been signed by the regional chairman.
They also suggested that several health screening exercises, the full renovation of a school brought to its knees by a rainstorm, treatment of party members on the behest of known party folks were all philanthropic gestures and not to be counted as activities done for the benefit of the party for the sole reason that he did not involve the constituency chairman of the party. There are other executives however that were informed who swear that the Doctor and his projects have been raised in meetings.
The panel sought to remind him of a clause in the nomination form that forbids him from contesting as an independent candidate should he be disqualified and even went ahead to give him another undertaking of a similar fashion to sign. As if that were not enough, they asked of his age and began to remind him that he was young and had many years ahead of him.
To crown it all, he was told he would know his fate by 25th March, 2020; a date that leaves no time for campaign should he be approved and leaves no time for appeal should he be disapproved.
Many say the NPP which touts itself as the beacon of democracy is gradually deviating extremely; a situation that makes the young people uncomfortable to deliver selfless service to the party.
