The National Commission for Civic Education, NCCE, in Atiwa East District of the Eastern Region has been forced to cancel an Inter-Party debate for Parliamentary Candidates scheduled to take place on Saturday, November 29, 2020.
The debate was canceled after the incumbent Member of Parliament Abena Osei Asare also a Deputy Minister of Finance chickened out leaving his only competitor -the Parliamentary Candidate for the opposition National Democratic Congress, NDC, Dr. Robert Defia.
Even though the NCCE had planned to go ahead with the debate, however, information gathered indicates some key stakeholders invited to the event were reluctant to be part of a “one-man” debate saying they could be tagged for promoting NDC’s agenda.
Meanwhile, there were reports of alleged threats by some supporters of the NPP to disrupt the exercise should the NDC Candidate be given the platform to prosecute his political agenda.
Upon further consultation, the organizers decided to call off the debate to the disappointment of NDC Parliamentary candidates and his supporters as well as other guests.
The Atiwa East District Director of the NCCE Savior Ametefe confirmed the cancellation of the debate when contacted.
Meanwhile, the NDC Parliamentary Candidate Dr. Robert Defia expressed his disappointment in the development.
According to him, the late cancellation of the event does not augur well for democracy.
He said the NCCE could have still gone ahead to hold the event as scheduled for the benefit of the public to make an informed decision on the December 7, 2020, Presidential and Parliamentary election.
Supporters of the NDC are angry at the NCCE for the awkward decision.
Atiwa East constituency created in 2012 is the stronghold of the ruling NPP. Abena Osei Asare became the first Member of Parliament for the Constituency in 2013 after winning the Parliamentary polls. She retained the seat in 2016 but went unopposed in the NPP primaries this year after his competitors were disqualified.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com
