PNC hurts image of Imoro Egala, President Limann at Congress

Wa, December 14, GNA - The Seventh National Delegates' Congress of the People's National Convention (PNC), which was held in Wa, as a tribute to the memory of Alhaji Imoro Egala and former President Hilla Limann, dented their image with violent clashes and gun shots.

At the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at In-Service Training Centre, an alleged threat to kill Mr. Bala Maikankan, Greater-Accra Regional Chairman of PNC which was reported in the news, was re-visited at the NEC meeting.

Some PNC Executives told the Ghana News Agency that at the meeting, per the PNC constitution, all powers of the party were invested in the Presidential Candidate rather than National Chairman, which the NEC wanted to enforce to the letter.

However, Dr. Hassan Ayariga disagreed with that provision, saying it did not happen during the time he was a flagbearer, and should not happen this time round.

The issue raised tempers between Dr. Ayariga and other executive members and he decided to walk out of the meeting, and not quite long, confusion broke out between his faction and that of Dr. Edward Nasigrie Mahama.

Plastic chairs and flower pots at the summer huts of the Centre were used in the fight, while Dr. Ayariga's faction advanced to break into the meeting room, but met resistance from Mr. Jacob Amoako, a bodyguard to Dr. Mahama who fired two warning shots into the air with a pump action gun to stop the assailants.

Meanwhile, the pump action gun is in the custody of the Wa Police.

The executives alleged that Mr. Maikankan was the target by the thugs hired from Bawku, but for the timely intervention by the Police and the Army, worse things might have happened at the meeting.

A Ghana News Agency interview with workers at the Centre gave eyewitness account that Dr. Ayariga was spotted at the scene when confusion broke out between the two factions.

The workers took GNA round two of the summer huts and showed the broken plastic chairs and flower pots that were used in the fight.

They also showed two empty shells of cartridges that were used in the gun. At the Police Station, three suspected persons, Mr. Seidu Abdul Moomin, 23, Mr. Adams Kamal, 21, and Musah Fahad, 25, were arrested.

They were now under police enquiry bail, with one surety and would report to the police.

Four complainants, Mr. Gumah Abubakari Narshiru, 24, Mr. Musah Mohammed, 22, Mr. Haruna Mohammed, 24, and Mr. Msahudu Ibrahim, 22, who were injured, were treated and discharged at the Wa Regional Hospital.

The Upper West Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr. Kwasi Mensah Duku, and the Army were at the election grounds to ensure peace till the final results were declared.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Ayariga came to the Wa Jubilee Park where the Congress was being held, and announced to delegates that he had brought 47 motor bicycles and 1,000 mobile phones for distribution to them if they voted him as the presidential candidate for the PNC.

The motor bicycles and the phones were packed in boxes and were displayed at the grounds, but just before the results were declared. Dr. Ayariga had disappeared together with the items.

The police and the army were very alert as some thugs had planned to snatch some of the ballot boxes and run away with them.

Some delegates also allegedly carried guns to the Congress, but the surveillance of the security agencies put fear in them to operate.

GNA