Coalition of New Patriotic Party (NPP) Youth Groups within the Choggu West electoral area, of the Tamale Central constituency in the Northern Region, have threatened to boycott the activities of the party within the area should the leadership of the NPP failed to reinstate their Electoral Coordinator Dawuda Jatuma.
According to the group, the leadership of NPP within Tamale Central constituency took the decision to suspend their electoral area coordinator without consulting them and elders of the party.
“We need our Coordinator if not we will not allow any regional executive to visit these communities”, they chanted.
The leadership of the governing NPP within Tamale Central constituency, on 6 January, 2022 suspended Choggu West electoral area Dawuda Jatuma for supporting Trade Minister Alan Kojo Kyeremanteng’s flag bearer aspirations during a radio programme on Radio Tamale.
According to a letter signed by Constituency Chairman Mohammed Ibrahim dated Thursday, 6 January 2022, Mr Jantuma’s suspension was in pursuant to Article 3 Clause 7(1) of the constitution of the party.
Meanwhile, the youth group at a press conference, however described the suspension of Dawuda Jatuma as “unfair, erroneous and wicked”.
“These acts of bias application of the party’s rules and regulations must certainly be of concern to any true member of the party hoping for victory in 2024″.
“All of a sudden, the NPP, touted as the most tolerant and democratic party where all shades of opinion were welcomed and positions competed for on an even keel appears to be shedding its feathers for a garb of intolerance, bigotry and blatant disregard”, they lament.
Addressing a section of journalists, convener of the group, Salifu Abdul Wadud however, called on the leadership of NPP to intervene “and stop this destruction of our dear party so we could break the 8 in 2024″.
Read full statement below:
PRESS CONFERENCE BY COLLATION OF NPP YOUTH GROUPS IN CHOGGU WEST ELECTORAL AREA , TAMALE CENTRAL CONSTITUENCY, NR
Call for equal application of rules by National and Regional Executives of the NPP
Good morning Ladies and gentlemen of the media, and thanks for responding to our invitation at short notice.
Right from the onset, allow me to state that we are all card-bearing members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who have come together to voice our concerns about recent acts of bias by executives of the party which if not checked immediately would negatively impact our chances of winning the 2024 presidential and parliamentary elections and ‘break the 8’.
You will recall, Ladies and Gentlemen, that sometime last year, the General Secretary of the party Mr. John Boadu, outlines Rules and Regulations to govern the conduct of would-be aspirants to various executive positions in the party. The Rules and Regulations were also to check the conduct of the supporters of such would-be aspirants, especially those aspiring to the Flagbearer-ship of the party.
Those who violated these rules were to be dealt with in accordance with the party’s disciplinary procedures.
Among the key directives were that:
- No would-be aspirant should start campaigning for any position until when the party so directs.
- No party official shall declare public support for any aspirant ahead of the official opening of nominations;
- That no paraphernalia promoting or advertising any aspirant should be displayed publicly ahead of the opening of nominations. Since the announcement, however, a number of high–ranking members of the Party have openly declared support for the Vice President, Dr. Alhaji Mahamud Bawumia, who has left nobody in doubt of his determination to contest for the party’s Flagbearer-ship.
Prominent among these party officials are a Deputy General Secretary of the party, Mr Obiri Boahen, the Northern Regional Executives led by chairman Samba, the first Vice regional chairman of Ashanti, Mr. Kwabena Nsenkyire, the Member of Parliament for Karaga Hon Amin Anta, the Member of parliament for Tolon Hon Habib Iddrisu and Hon Farouk Mahama, MP for Yendi and some others.
Others include Hon Hassan Tampuli MP for Gushegu etc
These actions clearly violate the code of conduct recently announced by the General Secretary and yet none of these high officers of the Party has been called to order.
We were therefore gravely shocked to hear and see that our Electoral Area Coordinator Mr Dawda has been suspended indefinitely with a flimsy excuse that he allegedly supported the bid of the Trade and Industry Minister Hon Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen on Radio Tamale.
Are we in an animal farm? Are some people in the NPP above the law? What did Mr Dawda say on the Radio Station that warranted his indefinite suspension without any disciplinary procedure?
Is this the party of our late Alhaji Yahaha Iddi? Is this the party of our father the late Alhaji Salifu COP? Is this the party of our father the late Vohandi Naa Abukari Mahama? Definitely this is not the NPP these our great fathers left behind.
You chose your candidate and publicly declared your support for him but if other people try to stand their ground and protect their own, they are either immediately rounded up by security agencies or subjected to acts of intimidation.
These acts of bias application of the party’s rules and regulations must certainly be of concern to any true member of the party hoping for victory in 2024.
All of a sudden, the NPP, touted as the most tolerant and democratic party where all shades of opinion were welcomed and positions competed for on an even keel appears to be shedding its feathers for a garb of intolerance, bigotry and blatant disregard .We call on the NPP leadership to intervene and stop these destruction of our dear party so we could break the 8 in 2024.
We conclude that the indefinite suspension of our dear Coordinator is unfair, it’s erroneous, it’s wicked and is anti NPP. We therefore appeal to the leadership of the NPP to rescind that decision for the sake of justice, peace and harmony in the party.
Our Electoral Area Coordinator has served the NPP with lots of dedication, commitment and handwork for decades now and we in the electoral area appreciate him so much. He is a true definition of NPP in Choggu West Electoral Area and we cannot afford to lose his services in the area.
We thank you all.
Long live Choggu West Electoral Area
Long live the NPP
Long live Ghana
Collation secretary
Salifu Abdul Wadud
050 505 6466
Story By: Alhassan Yakubu |www.diamondfmonline.com |Ghana
