Politics of Thursday, 10 July 2008

Source: GNA

NPP Tema East calls for unity

Tema, July 10, GNA - Members of the Tema East Constituency branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been called upon to bury every misunderstanding that erupted before, during and after its primaries.

Mr Charles Boateng, Tema East Constituency Secretary who made the call on Wednesday at a press conference stated that supporters of disqualified parliamentary aspirants and Mr Ishmael Ashitey, the incumbent Member of Parliament who lost to Mr Samuel Evans Ashong Narh, a former Mayor of Tema to put the past behind them.

With a few days to the primaries which took place on May 27, two of the aspirants Mr Daniel Nii Kwatei Titus-Glover, 42 year old Labour Consultant and Mr Ramseyer Agyemang Prempeh 37, an Educationist were disqualified from contesting on the grounds of not having a voter ID card and contesting the seat as an independent candidate respectively. Mr Boateng therefore urged party members "to help forge ahead to maintain the parliamentary seat" adding that "it is better to live under the government of NPP than handing over power to the National Democratic congress (NDC)".

He further noted that it was important for every member of the NPP to close the ranks to prevent the NDC from ascending political power as according to him Ghanaians would not forgive them should that happen. To the polling station chairpersons in the constituency, the Constituency Secretary urged them to put behind their individual choices, differences and other scheming but rather unite as one family and campaign for the success of the party.

He pleaded with them to guard themselves against utterances that have the tendency to create disaffection, shift focus and situations that would give other political parties a hope to wrestle power from the NPP in Tema East constituency.

Mr Boateng again advised NPP faithful to direct their energy, passion and strength to help the parliamentary candidate to win the seat during the December elections.

Mr Narh on his part thanked the delegates for electing him as the parliamentary candidate and promised to continue the work of the incumbent, "we should all work hard to maintain the seat". He said he was ready to work with every body irrespective of their religious affiliation or ethnic backgrounds. Meanwhile, a group calling it self 'agbaalia' numbering about 20 from the NDC have defected to NPP.