Obuasi defection story was a hoax - NPP

Obuasi (Ash), Feb. 11, GNA - The Obuasi constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has stated that the party was more united and vibrant than ever before and that the recent newspaper publication that 40 youths of the party had defected to the NDC was a hoax.

"The NDC in Obuasi realizing their lethargic, uninspiring and dwindling fortunes, cooked this defection story to raise the morale of their dejected members but they have woefully misfired", a statement issued by the party at Obuasi stressed.

The statement, which was signed by Mr J. D. Baidoo, chairman and Mr Stephen Acquah, secretary, said NDC was now disorganized and disintegrating and that nobody would undertake such a "suicidal defection, when everybody knows the centre cannot hold in NDC".

"We will like to inform the general public that Obuasi NPP is growing from strength to strength and that no such defection has taken place", the statement said.

It explained that the leader of the so-called defectors, Haruna Zek was not a card-bearing member of the NPP and that he planned the defection with a group of NDC executives in Obuasi. The statement said investigations had proved that Zek supposedly joined the party during the 2004 general elections from the NDC and after the election he started making a lot of demands from the Member of Parliament (MP) for Obuasi.

According to the statement, when his wishes were not being fully met, he tried to convince some friends to defect to the NDC but he could not succeed. Again he attempted to contest the NPP polling station chairman electio ns but he was prevented because of his known dubious character.

"These were the frustrations that led him to go back to his roots. The party in Kwabrafoso, has decided not to entertain the said Haruna Zek in the party again", it said.

The statement concluded that rather, a lot of NDC members in the constituency had defected to the NPP and that they would be "outdoored" at an appropriate time.