NPP Manhyia North Combatants Agree To Road Map

From Issah  Alhassan, Kumasi
THE CHRONICLE can authoritatively report that the long standing feud and controversy that had bedevilled the Manhyia North Constituency of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is now a thing of the past.

This follows a peaceful resolution of all outstanding issues after a marathon meeting by the leadership of the party and the three aspirants and their representatives at the party's regional office last week Friday. All interested parties, according to The Chronicle sources have agreed to a road map aimed at ensuring the settlement of all concerns to pave way for the organisation of constituency primary to select a parliamentary candidate.

At a meeting chaired by the acting General Secretary of the party, Mr. John Boadu, all the parties pledged their commitment to the road map and agreed to talk to their supporters. The meeting, which travelled deep into the night, did not however, end without heated moments as the incumbent MP, Hon. Collins Owusu Amankwah, stuck to his gun and wanted the status quo to be maintained before agreeing to change his stance.

The source told the paper that apart from Nana Yaw Osei Bamfo, who is currently out of the country and was represented by his Special Assistance, Nicholas, the other two candidates, namely Hon. Collins Owusu Amankwah and Akwasi Konadu, were fully represented by their legal representatives.

THE ROAD MAP
The meeting, which was also attended by leading members such as Dr. Amoako Tuffuor,  second vice regional chairman, Mad. Serwaa Derkyi, Lawyer Kwame Adom Appiah, Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako and a host of others, agreed to abide by the initial court ruling,  which ordered a re-run of all polling station elections.

After re-run of the polling station elections and subsequent compilation of new photo album, a constituency election would  then be organized to select executives who will in turn,  oversee the organization of primary for the selection of a parliamentary candidate amongst the three contestants. The decision was reached after careful study of the various court rulings, which had become a bone of contention as the incumbent MP had insisted that no court had made an order to the effect that polling station elections should be re-run.

Reports indicate that Hon. Owusu Amankwah had also insisted that the two contentious albums be merged rather than the compilation of a new one but the panel, chaired by the Acting General Secretary disagreed, insisting that such a decision could be problematic. After several deliberations, all the contestants and their legal representatives were given some time to go and think about the decision reached and after a few minutes, they all came back to the panel to inform them that they had agreed to the road map.

TIMELINES
The meeting agreed that nominations would be opened on Monday and closed on Wednesday for prospective candidates interested in the polling station positions.  The opening and closing of nominations on Wednesday will be followed by elections during the weekend for the selection of the polling station executives after which the results will be compiled for a new photo album to be used for the constituency executive elections and the primary.