Ho, Nov. 22, GNA- The Biakoye Constituency Executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have petitioned the National Executives on attempts by Mr Kenwuud Nuworsu, the Volta Regional Chairman of the party to reduce the number of delegates from 108 to 75 for the parliamentary primaries which should have come off on Thursday, November 20.

The Executives said they considered the reduction of delegates as an "affront to their integrity and usurpation of the powers bestowed on them" and condemned statements made to that effect by the Regional Chairman. "We humbly call on the National Executives to as a matter of seriousness to intervene to bring sanity into the party at the constituency level". Mr Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa, Volta Regional Minister and Mr Edward Collins Boateng, Chief Executive Officer, Export Promotion Council are contesting the primaries in the Biakoye constituency.

The petitioners pointed out that after the two contestants and the constituency Executives had agreed to use a delegates list used to elect the present executive on October 26, 2002, Mr Boateng and Mr Solomon Donkor, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Jasikan, allegedly prevailed on Mr Nuworsu to delete names of delegates from Apesokubi and Tapa Traditional Areas.

They said they have already submitted an up to date delegates list based on delegates who voted on October 26, 2002 executive elections to the National Executive and copied to the two contestants.

The petitioners said on November 13, this year, all polling stations Executives photographs for Apesokubi, Tapa, Bowiri and part of Nkonya Traditional areas have been compiled into an album except a larger area of Nkonya claimed to be under the control of the Jasikan D.C.E.

They said Mr Donkor has refused to submit the photographs from the larger Nkonya area thereby, making "our constituency photo album incomplete". "By this, the Biakoye constituency has not met the criteria for holding primaries and humbly call on the National Executives to call off the primaries", they said.

They noted that for a free and fair primaries to be held in the Biakoye constituency and in order not to inflame passions even by the traditional authorities, they suggested that the Regional Chairman, Mr Nuworsu should be prevented from holding himself to the primaries.

Mr Kodzo Ayim, Assistant Regional Secretary of the party told pressmen that the decision to reduce the number of delegates was taken by the National Secretariat, which directed the use of the original list, which was used to elect constituency executives for the primaries.

Mr Festus Abotsina, Chairman, Mr Dan Amoah-Nyarkoh, Secretary and Nana Osafa Suronipa, first vice chairman for the constituency signed the petition which was addressed to the National Chairman of the NPP with copies to the General Secretary, the National Organiser, Mr Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa, Mr Edward Collins Boateng and the Regional Chairman.