Atebubu NDC In Crisis

Hon Sanja Nanja, Atebubu-Amantin DCE

SERIOUS CRACKS have emerged in the Atebubu-Amantin constituency of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) following the continuous clash between supporters of the District Chief Executive (DCE), Sanja Nanja and the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) of the area, Emmanuel Owusu Manu.

The swift intervention of the police on Tuesday averted what could have been another deadly showdown between sympathizers of the two leading figures of the NDC as they engaged in a free-for-all street brawl at the Atebubu District Magistrate Court.

The incident which led to the abrupt end of court proceedings  also saw staff of the district assembly fleeing from their offices to safety after irate supporters of the two men took the scuffle to the assembly premises.

Currently, the constituency has no parliamentary candidate for the NDC after a Sunyani High Court in a ruling on March 29, nullified the January 28 primaries which elected the DCE as the party's 2012 parliamentary candidate.

The DCE beat the sitting MP by 19 votes in the disputed primaries. The court has directed the party to hold fresh primaries and further declared that anyone who holds himself as NDC candidate for the constituency will be in contempt of court.

This followed a suit brought against the Electoral Commission by the defeated MP about an alleged rigging of the polls in the DCE's favour.

The fight erupted after an Assemblyman of Amantin Ahenbronoso electoral area, Thomas Takyi who holds allegiance to the DCE dragged a leading member of the party in the constituency, one Madam Awulata, who holds allegiance to the MP, to the court for assaulting him at a public function.

According to reports, during the said function Mr. Takyi introduced himself as a representative of the DCE who doubles as NDC parliamentary candidate for the constituency. His introduction infuriated Madam Awulata who asked him to take back his statement because the court has nullified the election of the DCE and the NDC has no parliamentary candidate, but the assemblyman refused.

The MP's sympathizer went straight to the assemblyman, snatched the microphone from his hands and allegedly slapped him in the process sparking chaos at the function.

Eyewitnesses told DAILY GUIDE the case could not be heard on Tuesday because counsel for MP's sympathizer could not turn up to the court. But the two opposing sides hurled insults on each other which result in the fight.

Meanwhile, a group of NDC branch executives, youth activists and opinion leaders in the constituency believed to be aligned to the MP at a press conference later Tuesday, slammed NDC General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia for his comments that the recent court ruling on the constituency primaries does not bind the party.

'We believe strongly that he and his accomplices are out there to sell the Atebubu-Amantin constituency seat to our political opponents and we will not sit down and watch it happen,' they said.

Spokesperson of the group, Jagiri Musah further warned they will resist any attempt to impose a candidate on the party as part of machinations from the constituency executives.

FROM Fred Tettey Alarti-Amoako, Sunyani