Intimidation Marks Konadu�s Form Presentation

The Western Regional Women�s Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Araba Tagoe, yesterday intentionally tried to mar the submission of nomination forms and filing process by the campaign team of Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings when she stormed the party headquarters. Spokesman for the Rawlingses, Kofi Adams led members of the Konadu campaign team to file the nomination on behalf of Mrs. Rawlings who was said to be campaigning in the Volta Region. Hours before members of the Konadu campaign team arrived at the party headquarters at Kokomlemle in Accra, Araba Tagoe, a known supporter of President Mills, and a handful of individuals wearing Mills� t-shirts, had laid siege at the party office. Araba Tagoe virtually took over the entire office, shouting on top of her voice, amidst denigrating the candidature of Mrs. Rawlings. Moments after Kofi Adams and his team arrived, she rushed to the entrance of a doorway that led to the conference room where the team was to meet national executives and present them with the completed nominations forms and also make payment. It was not too clear what her mission was but she assumed the position of a gatekeeper, determining who should go to the conference room and who should not. In the process, she prevented several supporters of the Konadu camp from making their way to the conference room to observe proceedings. In spite of this, the Konadu supporters managed to control themselves without engaging her in any physical or verbal altercation. An obviously-surprised Kofi Adams and members of his team looked on helplessly whilst Araba Tagoe screamed at journalists. She hurled insults (unprintable and abusive language) on reporters and photographers and nearly assaulted them for daring to report on the day�s events, which they had been duly invited to. Kofi Adams and members of his team managed to submit the completed nomination forms to party executives and paid the filing fee of GH�10,000 for woman aspirants. They were received by party General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia and his two Deputy Organizes, Captain Akamba and Alhaji Baba Sheriff, National Treasurer Kamel Noshie and Propaganda Secretary Richard Quashigah. After filing the nomination, Mr. Adams and his colleagues made their way outside where an angry mob of Konadu supporters who had been prevented from going to the conference room to observe proceedings for themselves had gathered. But for the timely intervention of their own colleagues, the Konadu supporters would have attacked Araba Tagoe for not allowing them entry They believed that she was deliberately planted at the party headquarters to stir controversy, hence travelling all the way from Takoradi to Accra just to create a bad image for their candidate. In spite of all these acts of intimidation, Kofi Adams was optimistic their choice of candidate, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, would come out tops when the NDC goes to congress and that the filing of nomination was just to indicate their candidate�s readiness to assume the flagbearership position of the party.