Koforidua, May 4, GNA - The members of the former executive of the Koforidua Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who were recently removed from office on a vote of no confidence by the polling station chairmen of the constituency has refused to step down from office.

They claim they still regard themselves as incumbent executive members of the constituency branch of the party and had challenged the legitimacy of the Regional Chairman of the party to remove them from office.

In a press statement issued by the group and signed by Mr Emmanuel Felix Agyei, former secretary of the constituency branch, they stated their resolve, that "under no circumstances are we stepping aside." The group argued that by the party's constitution, the Regional Chairman of the party cannot remove them from office, saying, "this is the prerogative of the Disciplinary Committee".

The group, therefore, maintain that, "we are still the incumbent executive members of the constituency and will continue to organize activities of the party in the constituency in strict accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the party."

They stated that on assumption of office, they rented "a befitting office" for the party and paid rent for five years, which amounted to 12 million cedis.

It would be recalled that 63 out of the 91 polling station chairmen of the Constituency early this year accused the executive of inaction as a result of which the constituency office of the party was closed.

The issue was reported to the National Secretariat of the party who mandated the Regional Secretariat to find amicable settlement to the issue.

However, there was no improvement in efforts made to resolve the issue and at a meeting on April 28, 2004, which was chaired by the Regional Chairman of the party, Nana Adi Ankama, a vote of no confidence which was carried by 67 votes to 10 was passed to maintain the removal from office of the ten-member executive under the chairman of Nana Agyeman Tra. May 4, 04