NDP Invokes �Antoa Nyama�

Frustrated by the countless defections that have been plaguing the National Democratic Party (NDP), and suspecting the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the party behind the defections, some NDP leaders have invoked the country�s river gods to deal with members whom they claimed have collected money from the NDC to jettison the NDP. Last Monday, the party�s women�s leader for the Weija-Gbawe Constituency, Madam Selina Mintah, alias Kyeiwa, invoked the gods in the presence of over 100 party members who had come from across the country to support the party�s legal action against the Electoral Commission (EC) for disqualifying their presidential candidate. On arrival at the premises of the Ridge Office of the 31st December Movement from court, Kyeiwaa suddenly brought out two bottles of J.H. Henkes Schnapps and called out the names of Antoa Nyamaa, Akonodi, Tarkwa Patangi, River Tano and Sublo to curse all those who might have infiltrated the NDP and lured members back to the NDC, all those who deliberately left empty spaces in the presidential nomination forms for the EC to reject the forms, and then on the EC itself � if any member had accepted money to frustrate the NDP. After the incantations, she broke the bottles on the ground as a sign of her seriousness. On Tuesday afternoon, when we called Kyeiwaa on phone, she confirmed the story and further added that she had even repeated the process at the National Headquarters of the party at Kokomlemle earlier that day. She said people were behaving as wolves in sheep�s skin in the NDP. �They flock around Nana Konadu and collect her money only to turn around and stab her in the back. If you are a loyal member why do you worry even if I brought a gun to kill betrayers?� She was very optimistic that the incessant defections would cease since anyone who dares would face the wrath of the gods. �I know that what I have done could be very costly, even on me myself if I dare to turn around to do what I am very angry about today,� she said as she expressed the hope that the NDP would contest for the presidency in the December elections. A member of the communications team of the party in Kumasi, Mr. Andy Owusu, who happened to be at the scene, revealed to The Finder newspaper that everyone, including some national leaders, present was shocked that Kyeiwaa could go to that extent. But then, they were also happy because they trusted that the approach could halt the unbridled defections. He said the party had received information that the NDC was allegedly working through one Akua Afriyie, who had gathered hundreds of NDP members at a hotel in Kumasi for them to announce their defection to the NDC. He alleged that the former Ashanti Regional chairman of the NDC, Ohene Agyekum, is behind the poaching of NDP members back into the NDC. Even before the NDP went to congress to acclaim former first lady Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings as flag bearer, some founding members of that party had returned to the NDC. The defections shot up after the EC disqualified Nana Konadu for not properly filling out nominations forms.