Bawku (U/E), Nov. 8, GNA - An attempt to reconcile two feuding factions within the Bawku branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has hit a snag as one of the parties failed to show up at the reconciliation meeting scheduled for Tuesday.

The meeting was called to resolve differences between the two groups, which many people believed, accounted for the defeat of the NPP in the area, after some dissatisfied had voted for an independent candidate, who was disqualified during the Party's primaries. A high-powered delegation, led by the new Upper East Regional Chairman of the NPP mandated to mediate between the groups called off the meeting after waiting several hours without one of the groups, comprising the constituency leadership showing up. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, a spokesman for the other group, comprising those who backed the independent candidate, Mr Mohammed Tahiru Nambe, whose side was at the meeting venue, said he considered the reconciliatory move as a genuine platform to settle their differences.

Mr Nambe said their decision to support the independent candidate contributed to the defeat of the NPP, and that they were seeking genuine reconciliation that would strengthen the Party to enable it recapture the Bawku seat.

The constituency Chairman, Mr Awudu Gumah, said he and other members of the executive were only informed about the meeting on Monday night by a letter signed on behalf of the Regional Secretary. He explained that it was a collective decision among his side not to attend the meeting for their own safety due to the numerous threats they had received from the other faction.

He alleged that the rival group had threatened to beat the Vice-Chairman, and the Youth Organizer in their homes recently.