The Awutu Senya West National Democratic Congress (NDC) has instituted a committee to investigate the defection of its former Constituency Chairman, Simon Duodo, and over one hundred supporters of the opposition National Democratic Congress in the Constituency to the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

The current Chairman of the Constituency, Daniel Arko, said the committee will investigate the issue and come out with the reasons why former chairmen always defect to the NPP in the constituency.

Mr. Arko in an interview with Onua FM’s Yen Sempa on Monday explained that the chairman former chairman Simon Duodo unseated also defected to the NPP in a similar fashion.

Over 100 supporters of the opposition NDC in the Awutu Senya West Constituency have also reportedly defected to the NPP.

At a ceremony to welcome the defectors, the Member of Parliament, George Nenyi Andah, was happy because the defectors had joined the party as a result of the good works of the NPP.

Reacting to the development, the NDC Constituency Chairman downplayed the number of his members who have reportedly defected to the NPP.

“Those who joined were just 5 and the NPP will use them and dump them.”

He added: “We have set up a committee to investigate and bring them back. We want them back because they did not say we have done something against them. They claim they went because of what George Andah has done and so we urge them to come”.

The Constituency Chairman said: “We should fight this with hunger and we know we will win in the December elections. Elections are about numbers so it may affect us so what we are saying is that they should all come.”

He admitted that the party heard of the intention to defect three months ago and so scheduled a meeting involving regional executives to resolve the issue but the former chairman denied knowledge of it.

“We will go to him and persuade him to reverse his decision because as a former chairman, he is a member of the council of elders.”

Defection precedents

Chairman Arko noted that defection from the NDC involving former chairmen is common in Awutu Senya West.

“It’s common in Awutu Senya. Politicians influence supporters to defect to the NPP. The former chairman whom Mr. Duodu succeeded also did the same. He also went to the NPP.”

When asked whether he will also defect to the NPP after his tenure as the Chairman, Mr. Arko told Yen Sempa co-host Nana Okyere Awurukuo that he is a “pure” NDC member.

“We are using our resources to bring NDC back to power. We met the party in opposition and we are bringing the party to power and there is no way I will defect to the NPP.”