The leadership of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Lawra Constituency has written to the incumbent MP for the area, Samson Abu – who has elected to run as an independent candidate in this year’s polls – to immediately return all party property in his possession, including a vehicle.

A letter written to Mr Abu to that effect, dated 5 November 2016 and signed by Joshua Lotaa, constituency chairman, said: “Following your decision to run as an independent parliamentary candidate and in compliance with the press statement issued by the General Secretary of the party on 1 November 2016, we request the immediate return of the party’s van with registration number GB 2786 – 1, which has been in your custody since November 2012. The vehicle should be returned to the Constituency chairman. You are also to return all other party property which are still in your possession.”

Mr Abu and 22 others have been sacked by the NDC for choosing to run as independents.
According to the party, such persons are in breach of articles 8(d,f); 45( a,b,c &e) and 46(10) of the party's constitution.

“The affected persons by their conduct and on their own volition have ceased to be members of the party” the NDC said in a press statement signed by its General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia.

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party has, therefore, directed that the affected persons be “barred from the use of the party's paraphernalia, or the use of names of key party officials, including the party's presidential candidate in their campaigns or political activities, return all party property( including vehicles) in their possession.”

The NDC further said pursuant to articles 45 and 46 of the party’s constitution, executive members of the party who endorsed the nomination forms of independent parliamentary candidates or who are campaigning for independent candidates have by their actions and on their own volition also ceased to be members of the party.