Some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Pusiga Constituency of the Upper East Region have filed a petition with the regional and national executives of the party.
In the petition, two members of the party, Jamal Mumuni Bature and Issah Mashud, allege that there is a deliberate effort to undermine the campaign of the party’s Presidential Candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, with the willing participation of the Parliamentary Candidate.
They claim that the focus has been shifted to solely promote the Parliamentary Candidate, Hanan Aludiba Abdul-Wahab, at the expense of the presidential campaign.
A video accompanying the petition shows the Constituency Chairman campaigning in Sarabogo for both the Parliamentary Candidate and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential Candidate, Former President John Dramani Mahama.
In the video, the chairman is heard instructing constituents to vote for Abdul-Wahab for parliament and Mahama for president, if they choose.
“This year (elections), we are not talking about the party (NPP). We are concerned about Hanan (PC). We are not talking about Bawumia. On the day of voting, vote for Hanan and vote for John Mahama,” the chairman is heard saying.
He further suggested printing shirts featuring Abdul-Wahab’s image on both sides, excluding Dr. Bawumia entirely.
The petitioners also noted that during this episode, Mr. Abdul-Wahab did not intervene or correct the chairman. Instead, he was seen clapping and smiling, indicating his approval.
This inaction has been interpreted by the petitioners as complicity in what they describe as a violation of the NPP’s constitution.
Further supporting their claims, the petitioners pointed to Mr. Abdul-Wahab’s speech at the commissioning of the ASTRO TURF in Pusiga. Despite the project being facilitated by the current government, Abdul-Wahab did not mention Dr. Bawumia or campaign for him.
Instead, he praised opposition Members of Parliament, such as Haruna Iddrisu, for their contributions to their constituencies. This, according to the petitioners, demonstrated Abdul-Wahab’s disregard for the party’s presidential candidate.
The petition calls for the suspension of Constituency Chairman Issaka Seidu for misconduct and a breach of party duties by campaigning against Dr. Bawumia, in line with Article 3(7)(1) of the NPP constitution.
They further argued that by campaigning for John Mahama, Seidu has forfeited his membership as per Article 3(9)(1), which states that supporting a candidate from another party results in automatic forfeiture of NPP membership.
Additionally, the petitioners urged the Regional Executive Committee to declare that Abdul-Wahab has also forfeited his membership due to his actions in Sarabogo and his failure to support Dr. Bawumia publicly.
They cite a precedent set by a letter from General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong on November 20, 2023, which held that Hopeson Adorye, Nana Ohene Ntow, Boniface Abubakar Saddique, and Yaw Buaben Asamoa had forfeited their memberships for similar breaches.
The petitioners hope that the Regional Executive Committee will take swift and decisive action to uphold the party’s constitution and ensure a unified campaign for the upcoming elections.
Source: A1Radioonline.Com|101.1MHZ|Moses Apiah|Bolgatanga|
