A faction of the Wa Central Constituency branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has warned that it would resist any attempt by the national headquarters to impose Mr Clement Eledi, a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, on them. That, according to the faction, would be undemocratic and not in consonance with the NPP tradition.

?The so-called resolve of the national headquarters to acclaim Mr Eledi the sole candidate for Wa Central is unconstitutional, misplaced and misguided, and we condemn it in no uncertain terms,? it added.

Addressing a press conference in Wa to react to the General Secretary of the NPP, Mr Dan Botwe?s assertion that Mr Eledi was the recognised sole candidate for Wa Central, the First Vice-Chairman, Alhaji Osman Yakubu, urged Mr Eledi to contest the primary. He said the upgrading of Wa to a municipality and the creation of the Wa East and West districts brought about new challenges in the area.

Alhaji Yakubu stressed that that situation led to about 23 new communities with 30 more polling stations from the Wa East. He mentioned some of the communities as Tanina, Boli, Busa, Kperisi, Biihee.?This brought in its wake new people with new ideas, interests, rights and responsibilities and, therefore, they must be brought on board to brighten our chances of winning,? he said.

Alhaji Yakubu noted that it was the constituency chairman of the party, Alhaji Abdulai Safana, who, at a meeting, called for the re-opening of nominations in the constituency.He said the executive consequently forwarded a letter dated April 30, 2004 to the National Secretariat.

According to him, in the meantime, interested parties were beginning to apply for NPP candidature for the constituency.Alhaji Yakubu said a representation was, therefore, made to the National Executive through the accredited Upper West Regional representative on the NEC.

He said that the issue was thoroughly discussed at the NEC and it was agreed that nominations for the Wa Central, Sissala East and Sissala West be re-opened.The constituency First Vice-Chairman said Alhaji Safana had received the forms for Wa Central and decided to invite nominations through radio announcements and wondered why attempts were now being made to impose a candidate on the constituency.

Alhaji Yakubu, who was flanked by eight other constituency executive members, said the executive would still stand by the decision to open nominations.