Free-for-all fight at NDC parliamentary vetting in A/R
After a free-for-all fight, including smashing of glass windows at the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council in Kumasi, supporters of two Member of Parliament (MP) aspirants of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), turned their venom on reporters covering the second day of the vetting of parliamentary candidates of the party.
The Daily Graphic’s reporter, Donald Ato Dapatem, was nearly attacked by some of the macho men who had exchanged blows, but for the timely intervention of the Zonal Editor of the Ghanaian Observer, Mr Michael Ofosu Afriyie, the thugs would have lynched Mr Dapatem.
Although the reporter had his electronic gadgets and two phones in his bags, he was accused of taking shots of the open fight between the supporters of the two aspirants for Suame, Mr Francis Dodovi, and the Regional Youth Organiser, Mr Brogya Genfi.
It all started when one Adwoa Mary from the Nhyaeiso Constituency mistook a cameraman from a TV station for the Daily Graphic reporter and pointed him out to the macho men as the one who took the shots of the fight.
Mr Afriyie, who was around where the macho men had gathered immediately called Adwoa and some of the macho men and pleaded with them to spare the life of the reporter who was also trying to move away from the surging macho men.
Later some of the macho men rushed on the Metro TV cameraman, Abdel Basit and told him to delete the shots he had taken but he told them that his camera was faulty and that he did not take any shots.
Even party members who were suspected of filming the fight were forced to delete them.
Undercurrents
Last week, some Suame Constituency executive held a press conference to announce that Mr Brogya Genfi had been disqualified because he submitted fictitious documents, some of which had the names of dead constituency members.
Days later, the Regional Secretary, Mr Raymond Tandoh, in an interview with the Daily Graphic dismissed the assertion and maintained that Mr Brogya Genfi had not been disqualified.
Meanwhile, the NDC Vetting Committee, screening aspiring parliamentary candidates in the region, has disqualified four aspirants for presenting fictitious documents.
The four are Jerry John Appiah of Fomena, Dumega Maku of Sekyere Afram Plains, Jude Attuahene of Asante Akyem and Basiru Ammissah of Manhyia North.
Late last Wednesday night around 9 p.m., Jerry Appiah, was shown the exit when he appeared before the committee to be given the nod to contest the Adansi Fomena constituency slot.
Earlier on Tuesday, at about 2 .00 p.m. the committee, chaired by the National Organiser, Mr Kofi Adams, also disqualified Kwasi Domega who is vying for the Sekyere Afram Plains seat for also presenting fake documents.
With Domega’s disqualification, the incumbent Member of Parliament, Mr Alex Adomako, will contest the primary unopposed.
Accusations
According to sources close to the committee, Mr Appiah was also accused of allegedly squandering resources belonging to the party and failing to return a party vehicle after persistent official reminder.
Members of the Kofi Adams-led Vetting Committee were tight lipped on the matter. They said they would brief the media after the vetting.
Earlier in the day, some-high profile party aspirants who spent less than five minutes at the vetting were cleared to contest. They included the Regional Minister, Mr Peter Anafi Mensah and the former Regional Minister, and current Chief Executive of the State Housing Corporation, Dr Samuel Sarpong, and Alhaji Mohammed -Mubarak Muntaka, MP for Asewase and Majority Chief Whip.
Vetting
Although the initial party communication indicated that the vetting of the 97 aspirants would be done in a day, Mr Adams told the Daily Graphic that the committee had decided to use two days to examine the candidates.
Other members of the committee are Mr Dan Abodakpi, Mr Harry Zackour, and the regional Chairman, Mr Yaw Obimpeh and his secretary, Mr Raymond Tandoh. The Executive for each constituency will be part of the committee when people vying for their constituency slot appear before it.
He expressed satisfaction at the high calibre of people who had filed nomination and were appearing before the committee to be vetted.
''This is a clear indication that the party was heading towards achieving our aim of winning at least one million votes in the Ashanti Region in 2016.''
Numbers/Enthusiasm
According to party sources this is the first time the party's parliamentary primaries had attracted such a high number of aspirants and enthusiastic supporters.
In previous elections the party had to handpick and plead with people to stand as parliamentary candidates but this time around some constituencies are attracting six aspirants.
As early as 7 a.m., hundreds of NDC supporters and parliamentary hopefuls had gathered at the Yaa Asantewa Hall of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council in Kumasi for the vetting.
