Another District level and Unit Committee elections have come and gone, leaving in their trail fear, pain and anxiety. Whereas the victors are celebrating, the vanquished are taking stock of their actions and inactions before, during and after the elections.

Perhaps the most dramatic episode in the aftermath of the elections took place in the Damongo/Daboya constituency where the youth wing of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), numbering about 100 men and women, defected to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

It is known that the youth wing is the campaign team for the area and was largely responsible for NPPs landslide victory at the place; earning the accolade “Bantama” of Damongo.

Announcing their resignations to the NDC constituency executives, the youth secretary and spokesperson of the group, Mr. Abdulai Sulemana mentioned, among other things, the alleged direct involvement of the NPP Constituency Chairman, Mr. E.B. Darison and the DCE for West Gonja District, Madam Jambia Alhassan, in the campaigns of the District level and Unit Committee elections.

According to Mr.Sulemana, the DCE and the Chairman allegedly ordered the suspension of a project at a place called Kotito No 3, and told the people to vote for a particular candidate if they wanted the project to be completed. Mr. Sulemana also gave instances where the two people allegedly openly gave out money to voters in a bid to influence them to vote against some candidates who were also believed to be NPP members but not in the good books of the DCE and Chairman.

These actions, Mr. Sulemana added, were a manifestation of discrimination, which is not only a hindrance to the development of the area, but also drags the name of the party in the mud. He further alleged that the group that worked very hard to ensure victory for the NPP in the area was marginalized in the scheme of things to the level that “we are frustrated now and the only option left for us is to join hands with a different party so that we can make good and positive strides to develop our area.”

Welcoming the defectors the NDC Constituency Secretary, Mr. Alhassan Braimah, who looked overwhelmed by the development, said the move by the youth signals a glimmer of hope that the NDC will surely dislodge the NPP from the Damongo/Daboya constituency, come 2008.

The youth have already removed the NPP flag on top of the youth office and replaced it with that of the NDC. They claim they single handedly built the place and can therefore decide which colours it should take.