Navrongo (UE), June 2, GNA - The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Polling Station Chairpersons in the Navrongo Central Constituency in the Upper East Region, at the weekend expressed their dissatisfaction about the popular acclamation of Mr Joseph Kofi Adda as the Parliamentary Candidate for the area.

They said even though the Regional Executive of the Party approved Mr. Adda, it was unconstitutional to declare him unopposed. These were contained in a statement issued by 57 Polling Station Chairpersons out of the ninety Polling Station Chairpersons in the Constituency and signed by the Coordinator of the Polling Station Chairpersons of the Constituency, Mr Robert Wezena Alasco.

It would be recalled that on May 25 this year, Mr Adda at a Constituency Delegates' conference held in Navrongo was by popular acclamation pronounced the Parliamentary Candidate for the Navrongo Central in an election conducted by the Electoral Commission and supervised by the Regional Executives of the Party. The Statement explained that under the constitution of the party, an extra ordinary delegate's conference ought to have been convened by the Constituency Chairman or under the authority of the Regional Party Chairman before the Delegates Conference.

It noted that those required to be duly present at such conference were the contestants, all polling station chairpersons and the constituency executives of the party.

The statement noted that, the polling station chairpersons and the constituency executives constituted the Electoral College for electing a constituency parliamentary candidate.

It said the Electoral Commission was also required to take a roll call of the electorate present before the voting or acclamation was made.

The statement said that, if a contestant wished to step down, he or she would have to announce his intention before the roll call and the election and noted that, in the event of a sole contestant emerging following the process, he or she was then declared unopposed. The statement said, the Regional Executive in organizing the election, did not follow the above laid down procedures of the party's constitution.

It said the Regional Organizer of the party, Mr. Mohammed Mohamoud at the occasion alleged that, he had been verbally asked by the National General Secretary of the party to convene a meeting for the acclamation of Mr. Adda as the sole candidate of the constituency without even a written document.

The statement further said the meeting for the acclamation of Mr. Adda did not meet the requirement for a quorum and alleged that, the Electoral Commissioner was prevented from taking the roll call of delegates.

The statement said the laid down constitutional procedure for conducting the party's primaries to elect a parliamentary candidate was subverted to allow Mr. Adda to be imposed on the people in the Navrongo Central Constituency.

It alleged again that, the two other contestants Professor John Bonaventure Kaburise and Mr. Otito Abdallah Achuliwor who were disqualified through the vetting process were not notified before the acclamation of Mr Adda.

It appealed to the National Executive Committee of the party to intervene and resolve the issue or else they would advise themselves. "We would resolve not to canvas for or vote for the NPP in the upcoming elections if Mr. Adda is imposed on the Navrongo Central Constituency without going through the laid down procedure of determining the popular will of delegates in choosing a parliamentary candidate", it stressed.