Woes of Tema West NPP deepens

Mr. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, National Chairman, NPP

Despite the efforts being made by leading members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) to get the former Member of Parliament (MP) for the Tema West constituency, Abraham Ossie Aidoo to rescind his decision to contest as an independent candidate in the 2012 parliamentary election, they have still not made any headway.

It is also very clear that the former majority leader in parliament still stands by his position that 'My decision is irreversible and non-negotiable'.  Now a group   calling itself 'The Redemption Group', which is a breakaway faction from the party in the constituency has thrown its weight behind Ossei Aidoo.

The group is made up of former constituency officers, patrons and all hard working polling station executives whose hard work saw the party winning two general elections in 2000 and 2004.

According to members of the group, at their very first major meeting at Tema Community Two last Saturday, the NPP  in the constituency is at the crossroads, and the earlier something was done about it the better.

In a press release signed by the chairman of the group, Dr. Martin Antwi who is former first vice chairman in the constituency, their mission is to support the former MP to redeem the party from losing the seat in the 2012 elections

'Following the declaration of the former MP for Tema West and former majority leader in parliament, we the redemption group, would like to throw our unflinching support and weight behind him and also to state categorically that we are prepared to be with him throughout the campaign come 2012.

'The redemption group was formed out of the sitting MP's diabolical attempt to disenfranchise ordinary members of the party during the polling station election in the constituency in 2009. We believe that the party is at its crossroad and for that matter if measures are not taken to restore the confidence of the electorate in the constituency, we would allow the arrangement and egocentric behavior of the MP to derail the gains of the party in the constituency since 1996 thereby loosing the seat to the NDC.'

'We are, therefore, calling on all party faithfuls who are dispirited as a result of the arrogant behavior of the sitting MP to be steadfast since we now have an alternative and come out strongly to help us in our quest to uproot this dictatorial regime and restore confidence in our teeming supporters for victory in 2012', the release stated.