Fireworks at NPP congress today

WITHOUT ANY last minute change, the Obuasi Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will today hold its delegates congress to elect new executives of the party. The executives, when elected, will run the affairs of the party in the constituency for the next four years.

When The Chronicle visited the constituency office of the party at the weekend, it came across some of the aspirants seated at the office with their posters pasted at the office.

The paper learnt that, though, various executive positions would be contested for by the aspirants, the faith of the others would be determined by the winner of the two candidates vying for the Chairmanship position.

The paper learnt also that, as if the two contestants seeking the chairmanship position were told to attach the names of those they intended working with when given the mandate, on each of the posters of the two aspirants were pictures and names of people they (aspirant chairmen) would want their supporters to vote for in the other executive positions apart from theirs.

For instance, on the posters of Mr. J.Y Coffie, one of the aspirant chairmen, were names and pictures of Messrs S.K Amoah, Baba Alhassan and Edward K. Ekuoko who are seeking the First Vice Chairman, Second vice Chairman and Secretary positions respectively.

Others on the same posters were Mr. Alfred Ofosu Donkor, Mr. Umoru Ibrahim, Madam Adansi Akyaa, Madam Juliana A. Frimpong and Mr. Gaada Tahiru who are seeking the positon of Assistant Secretary, Organiser, Treasurer , Women organizer and Youth organizer respectively.

On the other hand, names like Mr. Aboagye Ohene Adu, Mrs. Faustina Boadi and Mr. Stephen Acquah, (incumbent secretary) who are also seeking the positions of First Vice Chairman, Second Vice Chairman and Secretary respectively, were some of the names attached to other contestants for the chairmanship position, like Mr. John Dickson Baidoo ( the incumbent chairman).

Other names attached to the incumbent chairman were, Mr. Evans Addison, Sannie Mahamah (the incumbent organizer), Mr. Kwaku Asare, Madam Fauzia Awudu (the incumbent women organizer) and Samuel Amoako Otchere who are also in the hunt for the Assistant Secretary, Organizer, Treasurer, Women organizer and Youth organizer slots respectively.

Their decision has created room for a two-group battle between the camps of the two candidates vying for the chairmanship position in the constituency, Mr. J.Y. Coffie and Mr. John Dickson Baidoo, the incumbent.

Meanwhile, an aspiring Youth organizer, Mr. Samuel Otchere Amoako has formally outlined his vision for the party in the constituency in an interview with Shaft FM's Francis Kwaku Boateng on the programme dubbed “Shaft Morning grill”.

Mr. Otchere who said he was the Public Relations Officer of the KNUST TESCON of the NPP in 2000, declared that, he would improve the data base of members in the various polling stations in the constituency when voted for, adding that he would organize outreach programmes in communities and constituencies in the Adansi State to educate the public on government policies as well as organize clubs in second cycle schools and various youth groups to draft them into the party.

On his leadership credentials, the Bsc. Development planning holder said he was the Student President, Department of Planning-K.N.U.S.T, 2002-2003 and the National President of the Obuasi Tertiary Students Union, 2003/2004.

“I was the NPP polling station agent in Tamale in the 2000 elections. In the 2004 general elections, I was also the NPP national election monitoring coordinator in Ashanti,” he added.