Politics of Friday, 24 September 2004

Source: GNA

NDC supporters kick against ceding seat to Eagle party

Sunyani, Sept 24, GNA - Supporters and members of the NDC in the Wenchi East Constituency have threatened to resign en bloc in protest against the decision by the National Executive Council to cede the constituency's seat to the Egle Party in the December elections.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Hayford Osei-Kwadwo, NDC parliamentary aspirant, Mr Sampson Ofori Atta, Secretary of Boadan electoral area and Mr Eric Vensuri, chairman, Kokroko electoral area.

It said the Executive Council's explanation that the offer was to compensate the Egle party for its loyalty and allegiance to the NDC since 1992 had not gone down well with NDC's teeming supporters in the constituency.

"The supporters have vehemently disagreed with the arrangement and have decided to either resign en block from the party or vote for the NDC Presidential candidate but against Eagle party's candidate.

"We belong and support NDC and not Egle party that does not exist in the constituency. The decision of the NEC constitutes a serious violation of our fundamental human rights of freedom of choice.'' "Alhassan Benneh, Egle party's aspiring candidate, is virtually unknown in the constituency and therefore not a marketable personality for the elections that is only 79 days away", the statement said. It said the decision to cede the constituency seat to the Egle party aspirant was also unfair to the NDC candidate who had spent huge sums of money to build the party to a winsome side.

"This decision has the potential of dividing the party to make it an easy win for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate."