Some youth claiming to be supporters and polling station executives of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) in the Atiwa East District of the Eastern region have invoked curse on any individual or group that attempt to disqualify any of the four aspirants contesting the incumbent Member of Parliament, Abena Osei Asare, also a Deputy Minister of Finance.
The bare-chested men clad with pieces of cloth around their heads and arms also called on the gods to kill family members of the said individuals.
In their incantations, the supporters said “We invoke a curse on any member of the vetting committee who attempts to disqualify any of the four men contesting the incumbent MP. His children and wife must be annihilated. Any vetting committee member who shows bias towards one candidate must also be dealt with“.
They added “anyone who tries to manipulate the system in favour of anyone must not be spared”
Leader of the disgruntled youth, Nana Ofori told Kasapa News “we traveled to a powerful shrine to invoke this curse. We are not joking so if they risk their own life if they think we are joking. We are not going to allow bribes to ruin our party. Some constituency executives are following the money to destroy the party.”
Invoking of a curse is gradually becoming a reliable and trusted channel that disgruntled politicians and supporters resort to seek justice according to their beliefs.
Vetting Begins
Vetting of 74 aspirants contesting the parliamentary primaries in 27 out of the 33 constituencies commenced today Wednesday, March 4, 2020 at the official Residency of the Eastern Regional Minister at Koforidua.
Some Journalists who turned up to cover the exercise claimed they were not denied entry by the party executives.
Five incumbent New Patriotic Party Members of Parliament in the Eastern Region were not contested at the end of the nomination process Friday 21, 2020 ahead of the Parliamentary primaries.
The MPs are Bryan Acheampong (Abetifi), George Kwame Aboagye(Asene-Manso-Akroso), Dan Botwe(Okere), Kojo Oppong Nkrumah(Ofoase-Ayirebi), and Joseph Tetteh(Upper Manya Krobo).
The Eastern Regional Secretary of the NPP Jeffery Konadu explained to the media that “83 people picked nomination forms but 74 filed across 27 constituencies which we have sitting Members of Parliament in the region”.
He added further that “out of these, five MPs went unopposed. Apart from that, two constituencies had two persons filed each, constituencies where three persons filed were five(5), constituencies where four persons filed were six. Whilst constituencies where five aspirants filed were three(3), and finally, one constituency had six persons filed their nomination forms”.
He Commended the constituency parliamentary Committees for good work done ensuring peaceful process in the region and “urged them to remain neutral and create a level playing field for all aspirants to campaign for the delegates to decide whom they prefer to be a parliamentary candidate”
According to the guidelines for the primaries aspiring Parliamentary candidates, paid a non-refundable filing fee of GH¢20,000 and a GH¢2,000 application fee.
Meanwhile, all Aspiring Parliamentary Candidates other than the sitting Members of Parliament were directed to pay a Party Development Fee of GH¢30,000.
However, Women, Youth and Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) enjoyed a rebate of 50% on the filing fees and Development Levy. By this, they were required to pay a non-refundable fee of GH¢27,000.
After the vetting, the election of Parliamentary Candidates will come off April 25, 2020.
Source: Kasapafmonline.com/102.5FM/Kojo Ansah
