Address Issues In Disputed Constituencies Now � MP Tells NPP

Member of Parliament (MP) for New Juaben South, Dr. Mark Assibey-Yeboah, wants the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to put measures in place to ensure that elections are immediately held in the disputed constituencies that are yet to elect a candidate to represent the elephant family in the 2016 Parliamentary elections.

He believes that the continuous delay in choosing candidates in the disputed constituencies is having a rippling effect on the fortunes of the party.

He said it was a for good reason that the party decided to go for early congress to choose candidates that will represent the party in the 2016 general elections.

One of the reasons, he noted, was that it afforded the party “enough space and time to sell the candidates to the electorates”.

However, with the disputed constituencies, the more the delay, the more division it creates in the party because “people will be peeved” and may decide to do certain things that will not inure to the benefit of the Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition.

About six constituencies are currently left on the NPP’s calendar where primaries are yet to be held to choose candidates to represent the party in the 2016 Parliamentary polls.

Among the constituencies are Kwesimintim in the Western Region, Nkwanta South in the Volta Region, Manhyia North and Kumawu in the Ashanti Region, Ablekuma West and Korle Klottey in the Greater Accra Region.

Issues that have brought about the dispute in most of these constituencies are before courts for redress.

But the New Juaben South lawmaker *believes that it is about time the party stamps it authority and ensures that all the challenges that are preventing it to choose candidates in the disputed constituencies are resolved.

He also wants all the candidates in the disputed constituencies to put their differences behind them in the interest of the party and ensure that primaries are held to choose a candidate to represent the elephant family.

“The NPP is bigger than anybody and so we must abide by whatever plans the party has made for us. Whatever decision that NEC takes, everybody should accept it”, he said in an interview on Accra based Okay FM Thursday.

He believes that chaos in the disputed constituencies were due to the fact that some candidates want to go unopposed.

“If you are a politician and you fear election, then quit. You don’t have to fear elections. So, I am appealing to all those involved in the dispute to put behind them their differences and give way for primaries to go on. The EC has given a deadline of June for all the parties to file their nominations. If the date gets closer, some people will go independent which will not augur well for the party”.