Group resists 'imposition' of Bawumia, petitions NPP Northern Regional Council of Elders

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A group calling itself the Concerned Northern Grassroots of NPP have petitioned the Northern regional Council of elders of the New Patriotic Party over what they described as imposition of the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the party’s flag bearer for the 2024 General Elections.

They say a few executives have been heard at various times openly declaring their support for the Vice President in the upcoming flag bearship contest.

Even though the group concede that the Vice President has not been heard anywhere announcing his interest in the bid, they said “these declarations in our considered view, put the party in a very awkward position" and "unconstitutional.”

The group in a statement signed by its secretary, Sayibu Abdul Gafaru noted that some personalities across the region have also publicly declared their support for Dr Bawumia since the Regional Executives who began it, were left unpunished.

They expressed misgivings why the executives who flouted the party’s rules and regulations were not sanctioned but chose to suspend those who kicked against their declaration.

“If sanctions should be meted out for any transgression, then it should be against the Savelugu Constituency Secretary, his deputy and the Northern Regional Organizer of our party (Alhaji Rashid COP), who were alleged to have masterminded the said declaration. Again, the action of the Savelugu constituency executives in suspending the three polling station executives, is in sharp contrast to the rule of natural justice which is premised on fair – hearing.

“If the action of the Savelugu Constituency Secretary and his cohorts did not warrant a suspension, why would a refusal to accept a declaration by these innocent polling station executives and speaking same against it call for a suspension? This action is nothing short of an attempt to intimidate and victimize polling station executives from asserting their rights,” It stated.

Read full statement below:

CONCERNED NORTHERN GRASSROOTS OF NPP

6th September, 2021.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

We the executives of the above mentioned group wish to draw your attention to the series of declarations that has engulfed our dear party in the region recently.

Ladies and gentlemen, these series of declarations in the last couple of weeks, has not painted a good image for our party. These declarations were initiated by the Northern Regional Deputy Secretary (Mr. Yussif Danjumah) in an interview he granted Citi News where he endorsed Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the distinguished vice president of the republic of Ghana as the flag bearer of the new patriotic party in the upcoming National Delegates Conference. This declaration was said to have been done on behalf of all Regional and Constituency Executives of our party in the region which later turned out to be false. Again, the Saboba District Chief Executive at their Constituency Annual Delegates Conference, possibly being emboldened by the first declaration, also declared his support for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. The last declaration we saw came from the Tolon Deputy Constituency Chairman, who clandestinely declared support for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia when he was asked to give a vote of thanks at their Constituency Annual Delegates Conference.

Ladies and Gentlemen, these declarations in our considered view, puts the party in a very awkward position considering the fact that His Excellency the vice president has not made any public pronouncement regarding his intention to contest as flag bearer of our party now or in the future.

We see this action by the Northern Regional Executives as an imposition of a candidate, who has not even declared his intention to contest in the upcoming National Delegates conference of our party.

Ladies and Gentlemen, another case in point is the recent Annual Delegates Conference of our party in the Savelugu constituency, where the Polling Station Organizer for (Kuga Fong No.1 Polling station) in a similar declaration, endorsed the vice president of Ghana supposedly on behalf of the executives in the Savelugu constituency. This declaration clearly contravenes our party’s code of conduct enshrined in (Article 18 of our party’s constitution) regarding the flagbearership contest.

Friends of the media, the aftermath of this Annual Delegates Conference of our party in the Savelugu Constituency, has not been a pleasant story, as it has resulted in three (3) polling station executives being suspended for opposing the said declaration which was done at the conference.

If sanctions should be meted out for any transgression, then it should be against the Savelugu Constituency Secretary, his deputy and the Northern Regional Organizer of our party (Alhaji Rashid COP), who were alleged to have masterminded the said declaration. Again, the action of the Savelugu constituency executives in suspending the three polling station executives, is in sharp contrast to the rule of natural justice which is premised on fair – hearing.

If the action of the Savelugu Constituency Secretary and his cohorts did not warrant a suspension, why would a refusal to accept a declaration by these innocent polling station executives and speaking same against it call for a suspension? This action is nothing short of an attempt to intimidate and victimize polling station executives from asserting their rights.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we wish to notify you that we have petitioned the Northern Regional Council of Elders on these vexed issues. In as much as we wish to condemn these declarations in no uncertain terms, we are appealing to the Northern Regional Council of Elders to call all those doing the declarations to order and to conduct an investigation into the suspensions of party executives in the Savelugu Constituency.

We thank you.

Signed: ……………………

Mr. Sayibu Abdul Gafaru ( Secretary )

Below is the list of the executives for the group

Mr. Alhassan Abdulai Tipariga President 0247940573

Mr. Sayibu Abdul Gafaru Secretary 0243931136

Mr. Mohammed Bilal Vice Secretary 0546237751

Mr. Nashiru A. Wahab Treasurer 0249007108

Mr. Dramani Dawda Deputy Treasurer 0245953954

Mr. Abubakari Saddiq Dagbia Organizer 0241234556

Mr. Iddi M. Bashiru Vice Organizer 0247442097

Mr. Abdul Rauf Nassam Communication Officer 0247178511