Politics of Wednesday, 22 January 2014

Source: Daily Guide

Tension at Dormaa West NPP

Some former polling station executives as well as current ones, have vowed to vote ‘skirt and blouse’ in the next general elections if their concerns are not immediately addressed.

The angry NPP officials told DAILY GUIDE that the party’s 2012 parliamentary candidate for the constituency, Ali Maigah promoted the perceived Nana Akufo-Addo and Alan Kyeremanteng factions in the area in an attempt to achieve his parochial political interest.

Those who stormed the offices of DAILY GUIDE to express their dissatisfaction about happenings in the constituency included Emmanuel Kwaku Tuah, immediate-past Nkrankwanta L/A Continuation Polling Station Chairman, Samuel Kwakye, former Brofoyedu/Nyameama L/A Primary School Polling Station Chairman and Solomon Afriyie, current Chairman for Nkrankwanta CMB Shed ‘A’ Polling Station.

According to them, the party’s 2012 parliamentary candidate, who failed to win the new seat for the NPP, openly campaigned against them in the recent polling station elections due to their affiliation with Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the NPP’s 2012 presidential candidate.

They further alleged that Mr. Ali Maigah had misappropriated GH¢5,800, which was supposed to be given to the party’s agents during the 2012 elections.

The disgruntled former NPP officials explained that the party initially paid GH¢3,900 into the private account of the candidate during the elections to be distributed to the polling agents across the 39 polling stations in the constituency.

The Regional Secretariat also paid GH¢1,900 for same purposes.

However, more than a year after the elections, none of the party’s agents has received the money.

They also accused the candidate of distributing official motorbikes given to the party during the election to his cronies.

However, Mr. Maigah has denied all the allegations leveled against him.

According to him, the said monies, which came in two days after the elections, were not for the polling agents.

He explained that the said money was given to him by the party to run the whole 2012 campaign.

Mr Maigah stated that he personally recruited some polling agents, who were paid accordingly.

He also denied hijacking the party’s motorbikes, saying those belonging to the party were given to the constituency after the elections.