Navrongo — FIFTY-SEVEN aggrieved polling station chairmen of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Navrongo Central Constituency are calling on the National Executive Committee of the party to reconvene an extra-ordinary Delegates' conference to choose a popular parliamentary candidate for the constituency, to replace the incumbent member of Parliament and also the parliamentary candidate, Joseph Kofi Adda.

Out of a total of 90 eligible delegates, 57 are strongly against the disqualification of Professor John Kaburesi and Mr. Otito Abddalaah Achuliwor leading to the subsequent imposition of the MP as the sole candidate.

It can be recalled that last week, May 27 2008, this paper carried a story on page twelve, in which 53 polling station chairmen had threatened to quit the party if Kofi Adda was imposed on them. Their threats came 4 hours before the acclamation of the MP was done.

As at last Friday, some 57 polling station chairmen held a press conference at Navrongo, where they categorically stated in a resolution that; "We resolve not to canvass for or vote for the NPP in the upcoming election if Hon Joseph Kofi Adda is imposed on the Navrongo Central Constituency without going through the laid down procedure of using popular will in the determination of the parliamentary candidate".

They accused the regional organizer of the party, Mr. Mahamoud of manipulating the primary in favour of Mr. Adda. They said it was Mahamoud who told party supporters that he had been directed by the National General Secretary to convene a meeting to acclaim the MP as the sole candidate.

They alleged that during the acclamation of Mr. Adda, the Electoral Commissioner attempted to take a roll call of the delegates before the confirmation, but he was shouted down and the roll call was not taken.

They contended that the regional organizer had made contradictory statements at various times and places, to the effect that Prof. Kaburise himself stepped down and withdrew his candidature. He later made a contradictory statement that the Professor was disqualified because he was less than two years old in the party.

This they condemned by stating that "Mr. Joseph Kofi Adda was himself not an NPP member in 2003 when he was made the candidate and this was not held against him by the National Executive".

Mr. Robert Wezena Alasco, who is the Coordinator of Navrongo Central Polling Station Chairpersons, addressing the press conference said Mahamoud also alleged that Kaburise had adverse findings against him.

He discredited all the allegations levelled against Prof. Kaburise.

He had never been convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction of any criminal offence.

On Mr. Achuliwor's disqualification, the chairmen also accused the regional organizer who said that he was disqualified because he had contested as an Independent candidate in 2004. Mr. Achuliwor was also not served any disqualification notice.

All relentless efforts to contact Mahamoud for his comments were unsuccessful. But when the regional chairman of the NPP, Ahmed Tahiru Issahaku, was reached, he explained that it was not mandatory for the Executives to give a notice of disqualification to the disqualified candidates or the polling station chairmen.

Mr. Ahmed said after the vetting, the General Secretary- Nana Ohene Ntow invited Prof Kaburise and Otito to Accra and explained to them why they could not contest on the ticket of the party.

Though he (Ahmed) was also invited to be a part of the said meeting, he could not turn up. He was later briefed by the General Secretary about the outcome of the meeting but he would not tell this reporter what transpired.

The regional chairman said attempts would soon be made by the regional executives to settle the raging confusing that seem to be sending wrong signals about the chances of the party in that constituency.

Ahmed cautioned the aggrieved chairmen and supporters of the disqualified candidates not to vote against Adda or the party in the coming elections, since in his view their threat to vote for a candidate of a different party could spell doom for the people of the constituency.

He advised them to exercise patience and allow the executives to handle the problem amicably saying, "patience is the hope you have for tomorrow".