Some Electoral Area Coordinators, Polling Station Executives, Patrons, Council of Elders and Youth of Upper Manya Krobo are calling on President Akufo-Addo not to reappoint the current DCE for the area.

Felix Nartey Odjao is being accused of fostering disunity in the party, failing to support the former Member of Parliament for the area, Joseph Tetteh, resulting in the loss of the parliamentary seat to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Candidate, Bismark Tetteh Nyarko and pursuing conflict of interest.

“As concerned owners of the party in the Upper Manya District, we want to state emphatically that we do not want the current DCE who is in the person of Hon. Felix Nartey Odjao,” Convener of the group, Tettey George Kwesi said at the press conference on Friday.

Citing various reasons for their call, the group among others questioned the commitment of the DCE to the cause of the NPP and accused him of creating a distance between the grass-roots of the party.

“He has created a distance between the grass-roots of the party which has further created a vacuum just because he has never been a party person. A DCE should be a friend of the youth, who is well-connected, selfless and strategic to enable us to maintain and sustain the seat of Upper Manya Krobo constituency. He has lost touch with the community and its authorities,” the group noted.

It further accused the Assembly Chief of pursuing personal interests to the neglect of the party and to the advantage of the NDC, the party he allegedly previously held allegiance to.

“He has marred his integrity by giving contracts to himself and friends which has created a huge apathy in the party making us lose the seat in the 2020 general elections. We believe that he is still in bed with his previous party, the NDC, and all evidence show that he does things to inure to their benefit,” said Tettey George Kwesi.

The NPP affiliates who believe Felix Nartey Odjao does not share the “vision, aspirations and policies of the party”, say “he has neglected the well-being of the party and its people,” adding that any of the aspiring candidates for the position is capable of effectively administering the district.

“We are therefore appealing to his excellency in the interest of the party to give us a DCE who is the engine of the party, friend of the youth, very tactical and strategic and humble to enable us to rescue power come 2024,” the group said emphatically.

Coordinator of the group, Sackey Narh in an interview accused the DCE of undermining the functions of the MP by refusing to sign his Common Fund.

“The MP in 2018 even threatened to remove the DCE because even though he brought the DCE, even releasing his common fund to him became a problem so the man is not helping us. He was an NDC member even in 2012. He’s not a member of the NPP so we want the President to remove him, threatening that the group would hold a massive demonstration against the Mr. Akufo-Addo should he reappoint Mr. Odjao.

Denying that the group was only being used as a conduit to do the bidding of one of the candidates, Sackey Narh said the party was ready to work with any of the other five aspirants contesting for the position.

“They are six [lobbying for the position] but for him [Felix Nartey Odjao], we don’t like him. Any of the remaining five that the President will give to us, we shall work with him,” he noted.