An aide to Vice President Dr Mahamadu Bawumia, Manaf Ibrahim will on Thursday, August 1, 2019, file his nomination forms at the Asawase Constituency office of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to contest the party’s parliamentary primaries for the orphan constituency.

Ibrahim’s decision defies the party’s Ashanti Regional Executive Council warning to parliamentary candidates hopeful seeking to contest 2016 defeated parliamentary candidates appointed as DCE’s for the three orphan constituencies in the region to halt their plans.

The Council’s warning was fearlessly criticized by supporters of the ruling party and other political watchers as undemocratic.

On Saturday, July 20, 2019, the young politician and his supporters were refused nomination forms at the Asawase NPP office with the excuse that the forms for the constituency have not been handed over to the party’s constituency executives.

Ibrahim who’s the former deputy Ashanti Regional Secretary of the party said in an interview with Ultimate FM’s Isaac Bediako the decision taken by the party leadership in the region was an expression of their opinion which was unacceptable in any serious democratic party.

“I have already picked my nomination forms from the office of the National Secretary of the party John Boadu so what are they talking about, I will file my nomination form on Thursday 1st August 2019 at Asawase constituency office of the party.

“Though I picked the forms from national headquarters of the party, however, the rules say I should submit it to the constituency office and if they decline my filing I will send it to the national level in line with our constitution and guideline to the primaries,” he explained.

Meanwhile, second National vice-chairperson of the party Mr Fred Duah-Antoh has also disclosed any member of the party who feels worried about the regional executive council decision to ensue two Municipal and a district Chief executive to go unopposed in the primaries can petition the regional executives or national for redress.