Dr Obed Asamoah, a high ranking member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), on Friday appealed to members of the party "to deal with issues and not to descend into the gutter to engage in smear campaigns."

Dr Asamoah said in a reaction to the press statement by a group calling itself "Action Forum" that he should be vetted for his tenure as chairman of the NDC's finance committee before contesting the chairmanship that members should ease tension in the party.

"We should try and ease tension not sustain it or create a crisis atmosphere for short-term political purposes which is what has been done to scuttle the holding of the national congress now to the great disappointment of the rank and file of the party.

"Those indulging in such tactics should reflect on the great harm they are doing for the survival of the party. Don't let us play into the hands of our opponents. Don't let us undermine the progress towards autonomy for and greater democracy within the party."

Dr Asamoah said the statement by the "Action Forum" was calculated to impugn his integrity and was "obviously part of a grand design ...conceived by a group of high ranking members of the NDC to stop the forward march towards greater democracy in the party by engaging in as much mudslinging as they can against me in order to frustrate my bid for the chairmanship of the party."

He said those people, being incapable of operating on the level of ideas, issues and principles, had developed an action plan to destroy his integrity. "Those who live in big glass mansions, must know that throwing stones at others can be exceedingly costly...."

Dr Asamoah said the signatories of the "Action Forum" statement, Mr. A.K. Mensah and Mr. Asamoah Atuahene, had been suspended from membership of the party for persistent indiscipline and anti-party activities. "For them to continue claiming membership of the party and to be entertained by certain high-ranking members of the party speaks volumes of their character and that of their sponsors."

Dr Asamoah said he welcomed any investigation in the management of the finances of the NDC.

"I know that I have accounted for everything that came into my possession to the persons who were concerned with this matter and hope that those who know or should know the truth and who for narrow political interests continue to question my integrity in this matter will submit to an audit of all monies that they collected in the name of the party and the sources of such funds."

The investigation should begin from the Greater Accra Region. "It has become the habit of certain high-ranking members of the party to impute financial impropriety to persons vying for political office. "In the search for a running mate for Professor Atta Mills last year, such allegations were made with relentless abandon even against persons they now have a new found love for."

Dr Asamoah said the two men should tell the nation how the NDC came by the money to acquire the 200 pickups they were talking about. "What I am aware of is that whilst the NDC might have used that number of vehicles, most were not owned by the party. It is easy to check this out from records at the Licensing Office."

He denied that he supplied pickups to individuals to campaign for him to be NDC chairman. On the theft of party money in his house, he said it was regrettable that persons who claimed to be members of the party could doubt his integrity despite the evidence adduced in court.

He said the fact that the case had not been concluded did not mean that he was the cause of the delay or that he was not being transparent in the matter.