One of the customized packaged food given to the delegates
Delegates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Bolgatanga Central Constituency have finally elected their leaders to lead the party in the 2020 election.
The constituency could not join other constituencies in the Upper East Region for the nationwide elections due to a litigation which caused a Circuit Court in Bolgatanga to place an interim injunction on the election.
There were some failed attempts to get the angry party members to settle their grievances out of court. It took the intervention of the party’s general secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, to resolve whatever led the feuding members to “stop” the election in the Bolgatanga Central on June 23, 2018.
The recent Bolgatanga Central elections were scheduled for Saturday July 28, but extended to Sunday, July 29, 2018, before the final declarations were made. This is probably due to the difficulties in handling and counting the votes cast by over 1,000 delegates of the party in the constituency.
The delegates elected George Ayanoore Aduko, constituency chairman, with 485 votes, as they showed a complete rejection of a former constituency chairman and Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, Epsona Harry Ayamga, who polled 33 out of the over 1,000 votes.
Atinga Richard Aduku was elected vice chairman with 437 votes and incumbent constituency secretary, Roland Atanga Ayoo, was retained with 524 votes. Adongo Jonah Adombilla was elected the Deputy Secretary 570. Treasurer is Ayane Fuseini with 611 votes.
Jonathan Adanigna Alataaba is the Constituency Deputy Treasure after polling 567 votes. Constituency Organizer is Ayamga Aka-eeri Martin with 542 votes. The constituency communication position is occupied by Agorogo David; he polled 561votes.
To the surprise of many, “loud mouth” Issahaku Muburik Mbaba who was all over the local media, criticizing every policy of the ruling New Patriotic Party and calling Vice President Dr. Bawumia names, probably to woo delegates to vote for him, was floored. Aduko Asoneriba was elected the Deputy Communications Officer with 546 votes.
The new Constituency Chairman, George Aynoore Aduko, in an interview, said his main aim for coming into the race was to unite the party in the constituency. According to him, uniting the party is the best thing for the NDC at the constituency level as it prepares itself to help in capturing power come 2020.
He was happy that the elections were peaceful and hoped the current atmosphere in the party would lead to peaceful discussions towards uniting all ranks of the party.
Some party insiders say the constituency officers elected, is an indication that the camp of Isaac Adongo, the MP for Bolgatanga Central, has lost, while the camp of former MP, Emmanuel Opam Brown, has won.
It is not clear why Emmanuel Opam Brown will have a camp after he was severely floored during the NDC primaries in 2015. Since then, nothing serious was heard from him and would surprise many if Opam Brown declares any interest in contesting the Bolgatanga Central Parliamentary Seat.
If what the party insiders are saying is anything to go by, then the current MP, Isaac Adongo, will be disappointed especially when he has “fulfilled” a major campaign promise. During the party’s primaries, Isaac Adongo’s campaign team accused the then MP, Emmanuel Opam Brown, of being silent in Parliament, and hinted that Isaac Adongo would be very outspoken in Parliament on national issues.
For many NDC members in the constituency, their MP has been on course.
If indeed his camp has lost per the insiders’ report, then it is a wake-up call to the MP, Isaac Adongo, to start attracting developmental projects to his constituency, since that is what the constituents want and not the daily debates.
The display of banners and posters at the venue, as well as branded packed food, water and souvenirs, gave course for observers to ask whether the regional executives bothered to ensure that aspirants adhered to the recent directives from the national executives committee of the party against expensive campaigns at the constituency and regional levels.
FROM: Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga