Tension is brewing within the Asawase Constituency of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the party youth want their incumbent Member of Parliament (MP), Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak removed during the party’s parliamentary primaries.
According to the youth, there has been an unhealthy relationship between the Asawase MP, and some constituency executives since the party held its internal elections.
The youth clad in red bands expressed concern about the MP’s continuous disregard for some elected constituency executives including the Chairman over claims of cynism and disrespect.
They claimed that the MP has sidelined some of the elected executives and still runs activities of the party with previous executives who lost their positions during the constituency elections.
This has led to a division among their supporters and in turn affecting the party’s activities to unite and galvanise for votes at the constituency level.
“Asawase NDC is currently divided and we can’t run away from that. It is important the functional executive committee, national executive committee and all stakeholders of the party to intervene now so that we can start our reconciliation process and move together as a united force for victory in 2024”, said Umar Harris, spokesperson for the group at a news conference in Kumasi.
The group further assured of members resolve to intensify campaign for the 2024 elections but warned those who intend to hijack the party for their personal agenda.
“Asawase is a safe seat for the NDC. It has got nothing to do with who leads the party for the parliamentary slot. Whoever is elected in the primaries as the parliamentary candidate has the support of all the NDC voters in the constituency. So no individual should think without him, there is no NDC in Asawase”
The Asawase MP is alleged to have suggested before the constituency elections that delegates should retain the incumbent executives, but that did not work.
A spokesperson for the youth, Umar Harris said comments by the Asawase MP before the constituency elections against some of the current executives continue to create acrimony between them, saying that “if we don’t get the results we want after this presser, we will take the next step. We are still calling on the national executive to intervene and settle the issues amicably and begin the reconciliation process which the MP is seemingly making very difficult.”
He insisted that the National Executive of the party must call the MP to order and also get him to allow the party’s structures to work at the constituency level.
The youth also condemned a recent purported arrest of the NDC Chairman for the constituency, Faisal Dauda at a ceremony in the area.
The MP during the party conference to elect constituency officers was hooted at in his alleged attempt to manipulate the process.
By Vincent Kubi