A group of aggrieved members of the ruling New Patriotic Party in New Juaben South are demanding the removal of Loyalists of the Member of Parliament Michael Okyere Baafi from the Constituency office.
According to them, the loyalists of the MP have hijacked the Constituency office and manipulated the polling station and Electoral Area Coordinator’s election processes.
This was contained in a petition filed by some aggrieved members of the party on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 and copied to the chairman of the Polling station and Electoral Area Election Committee has accused it of being complicit.
The petitioners demanded “a publication of all those who filed nominations for the various contests in various Polling stations. A publication of the schedule of the election in the various polling stations (time, place, and duration of election). A request that the loyalists of the MP are removed from the office for only committee members to preside over the conduct of the elections”
The petition signed by Dr. William Gyedu Asiedu, a lecturer, Jalil Ibn Tahir (Polling station Executive), and Paul Amoh (former council of elder), also demanded the publication of notice of polls.
“It has become necessary to petition your Committee on our behalf and behalf of a group of party people for you to take charge and publish various contests and schedule of the election in the various polling stations by tomorrow Thursday, February 24, 2022.
This has become necessary because, the absence of the committee members and Constituency Executives at the office, coupled with the chaotic, selective and unfair distribution of nomination forms has created a sense of mistrust in the process “.
The petition continued that “It is unfortunate that the national Executives directed the formation of committee but its membership and activities have been shrouded in secrecy so far to the extent that, loyalists of the MP, Hon Michael Okyere Baafi, who themselves are contestants are the ones sharing forms and have been in charge of the process so far”
Excerpts of the petition added that “the distribution of the forms was done in the night of February 18th to the loyalists of the MP with no committee members, not Constituency Executives available. Deliberately, polling station executives and party people perceived not to have supported the MP, Hon Michael Okyere Baafi in the last Parliamentary primaries were denied forms.
It took Personal relationships, fights, and struggle for the party people to get forms to fill and submit but most others could not get forms”.
Meanwhile the office of the Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, Michael Okyere Baafi has denied any wrongdoing
“The attention of the Office of the Member of Parliament for New Juaben South Constituency – Mr. Michael Okyere Baafi has been drawn to the false and misleading information circulating in the New Juaben South Constituency and the Region, suggesting that the Member of Parliament is the brain behind the hidden of some nomination forms meant to be sold to interested aspirants in the upcoming polling station elections.
The Office takes serious exception to this false story circulating and also urges the public to disregard these false accounts and treat them with the contempt they deserve”
Polling station elections within the NPP are expected to be held nationwide between February 25, 2022, and March 5, 2022.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Obed Ansah
