DFP, CPP Won’t Contest Fomena Seat

The Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) will not participate in the forthcoming Fomena by-election in the Ashanti Region.

According to the party, which was launched barely two months ago, it is currently preoccupied with establishing its structures on the ground for it to properly function.

According to a statement signed by the Deputy General Secretary of the party, Mr Bede Ziedeng, the DFP considered the establishment of its structures more important than the mere contest of a by-election.

“Secondly, under the constitution of the DFP, as submitted to the Electoral Commission (EC), a parliamentary candidate can only be elected at a duly constituted constituency conference at which two delegates from each branch within the constituency will have vote to elect a candidate who will contest on the ticket of the party”, it said.

It said the branch executives were yet to be established in all the branches in the Fomena Constituency.

“Any other system or method adopted in choosing a parliamentary candidate other than a properly constituted constituency conference would amount to an imposition of a parliamentary candidate and this the DFP as a political party finds as unacceptable”, the statement said.

In a related development, the Convention People's Party (CPP) has said it would not contest the by-election in the Fomena Constituency scheduled for January 2007.

A statement signed by the General Secretary, Prof Nii Noi Dowuona, said “a critical appraisal of its programme of action decided that the CPP would not contest the by-election in the Fomena Constituency scheduled for January 2007”.