Politics of Wednesday, 1 June 2016

Source: peacefmonline.com

I wasn't hooted at by NDC youth... - MP

Parliamentary candidate for Bongo constituency in the Upper East Region, Edward Bawa Parliamentary candidate for Bongo constituency in the Upper East Region, Edward Bawa

Parliamentary candidate for Bongo constituency in the Upper East Region, Edward Bawa has denied reports that some NDC youth activists chased him out of an NDC meeting.

Edward Bawa stressed that he was not hooted at by activists of the ruling party as reports indicated.

Four days ago, Edward Bawa, was reportedly hooted at and booted out of a meeting which involved some NDC constituency executives as well as youth activists of the party.

Peacefmonline.com captured a video showing the Parliamentary candidate who doubles as the Communications Director of the Energy Ministry being escorted out of the meeting as the charged youth kept shouting "away" "away" repeatedly to register their displeasure.

But contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM's Kokrokoo Wednesday morning, the candidate used the platform to clarify the incident.

He had apparently found himself within the territory of one of the candidates who contested against him during the primaries and were still seething at his victory because it was a highly competitive one.

According to him, the youth who owe allegiance to one of the candidates were holding a meeting when he turned up only for them to start yelling "away, away".

He told host Kwami Sefa Kayi that the highly contested Parliamentary primaries at the constituency level saw in action six contenders for the slot but he eventually emerge victor. Following his victory, there have been post election crises and meetings held to resolve divisions within the party's front at the constituency.

Edward Bawa narrated that he was attending a funeral in another village when he decided to pay a courtesy call on a former constituency Chairman, whose wife was said to indisposed, when he run into the raucous youths.

“I had to drive through a village called VEA and in that particular village, our former constituency Chairman also hails from there. I knew his wife was sick about three weeks ago. So, I decided that if I’m passing through that village, it will be proper to check on his wife’s condition. I want to let people also understand that VEA is a place that one of my contestants comes from. We were six people who competed in the elections…So, upon arriving, where the Chairman’s house is just near where the market ends and it’s also nearer to the church…In fact I walked past the Chairman’s house…but coming back I saw that the composition of the group there basically appear to be frontline team who supported that candidate," he recounted.

He dismissed claims that he was sacked by the youth and further disclosed that the youth activists were not also protesting against President John Dramani Mahama.

Mr. Bawa however admitted that the video as published by Peacefmonline.com is true.

“What you saw on the video there is not reflective of the issues on the ground. The party as NDC is growing stronger and stronger," he clarified.