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25.08.2004 Politics

Bamba Defeated, Threatens To Go Solo

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Bamba Defeated, Threatens To Go Solo
25.08.2004 LISTEN

... Still a Free Man? A former Deputy Minister of Presidential Affairs and MP for Wenchi East, Alhaji Mocta Musah Bamba,has decided to go independent after suffering defeat at the primary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) held at Wenchi yesterday. Professor George Gyan-Baffour, the Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission secured 56 votes against 35 by Alhaji Bamba in a keenly contested election conducted by the Brong Ahafo Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mr Amadu Sulley. Shortly after the results were announced, the regional chairman of the NPP invited comments from Alhaji Bamba. Surprisingly, Alhaji Bamba announced that he was not satisfied with the conduct of the election and would, therefore, contest as an independent candidate in order to retain his parliamentary seat. His action created tension among supporters of both candidates but the security managed to calm them. The NPP Regional Chairman, Mr Kwodwo Yeboah-Fordjour, advised Alhaji Bamba to rescind his decision and stay with the party, since he could serve the party in several capacities, even if he was not in Parliament. He said the NPP's number one contender was the National Democratic Congress (NDC), adding that “this is the area we have to concentrate our efforts on and that Professor Mills had been given a herculean task that would be very difficult for him to carry out.Mr Yeboah-Fordjour urged the party faithful to stop the internal bickering, unite and work hard towards retaining power. He stressed the need for Professor Gyan-Baffour and Alhaji Bamba to advise their supporters to bury their differences and work tirelessly to support the party to have a landslide victory in the upcoming elections. Professor Gyan-Baffour thanked the delegates, executives and all sympathisers for the confidence reposed in him and promised to work hard to retain the seat for the NPP. He denied assertions in some quarters that he had been planted by the NDC, saying that although his sister was a former District Chief Executive, he belonged to the Danquah-Busia tradition. Mr Kofi Darko, the Regional Youth Organiser, advised the victor and the vanquished to work in close collaboration to retain the constituency seat for the party in power.


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