The Ashanti Regional Executives of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) have responded to a petition by Concerned Youth of Atwima Nwabiagya North against the Atwima
Hon. Benito Owusu Bio
Nwabiagya North Constituency executives who have been collecting signatures from delegates to allow the incumbent Member of Parliament, Hon Benito Owusu Bio go unopposed.
In a letter dated 28th March, 2019 and signed by the Party’s regional secretary and sighted by Boss Fm’s Odiasempa Kwaku Mensah, the Regional executives assured the youth group that the matter would be given the needed attention.
On 25th March, 2019, the concerned Youth of Atwima Nwabiagya North Constituency of the New Patriotic Party petitioned the Regional Executives of the party against a looming danger, anger and doom that has a tendency of costing their party, which the NPP may have to pay from an autocratic and unconstitutional move taken by some Constituency Officers and Electoral Area Coordinators.
It is purported that they (Constituency Executives and electoral area coordinators) have been bought by the near 16 years sitting Member of Parliament to assist him run unopposed in the upcoming Parliamentary Primaries later this year as contained in the petition.
A portion of the petition reads “A great number of abled men and women out of the love we have for the NPP would like to bring to your Attention that though nominations have not been opened, yet polling station executives are threatened, and manipulated to sign a document that is intended to give the sitting Member of Parliament, Hon Benito Owusu Bio which is an undeserving popular acclamation to run unopposed lest, names of polling Station executives be obliterated from the list on Primaries voting day”.
It is believed that many polling station executives are signing the acclamation for fear of being replaced in the register as has happened before previously.
The youth group says they can’t sit unconcerned for such wrong and undemocratic acts to be perpetrated by no mean a person than Member of Parliament and Constituency executives who are widely known in the constituency as rubber stamp.
They therefore petitioned the Regional Executives to bring an end to the matter immediately.
Responding to their petition, the Ashanti Regional Executives of the party acknowledged receipt and showed appreciation to their concerns.
They were also advised not to take any further action(s) that may dent the image of the party and hope calm heads prevail as the party takes steps to investigate and remedy any such situations.
It is Unconstitutional:
A group calling itself Concern Youth of Atwima Nwabiagya North are describing it as unconstitutional, attempts by the constituency executives to allow Member of Parliament for the constituency, Hon Benito Owusu Bio to go unopposed in the party’s approaching parliamentary primaries.
Concern youth of Awima Nwabiagya North insist the act violates article 11 of the NPP’s constitution.
Leaked Audio:
There is an audio going viral on social media platforms purported to be a recording of a meeting between the Atwima Nwabiagya North constituency Executives and polling station executives, where the polling station executives have been asked to sign an endorsement form presented to them to allow Hon Benito to go unopposed.
The meeting was held on Sunday 24th March, 2019 Adankwame electoral area, and in the audio, the first vice chairman of the constituency, Hon Frank Sarkodie was heard asking the polling executives to just sign the endorsement form for a reward.
According to Hon Sarkodie who chaired the meeting, the MP has promise them something and all they need to do is to endorse him.
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