GROUP AGAINST DABU'S ACCLAMATION ...As Ho East NPP nominee (PAGE 17)

EVEN though Mr Mawuli Kwame Dabi has been elected as the parliamentary nominee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the Ho East Constituency, all is not well for him in the area, especially in the Adaklu-Anyigbe District.
Although campaign signboards have been mounted by the candidate at vantage points, a group of the party supporters have kicked against Mr Dabi’s candidature, insisting that they had not accepted the results of the constituency primary in which he was elected by popular acclamation.
A press release jointly signed by the constituency chairman, Mr Gustav Geli, and the secretary, Mr Michael Aglah, indicated that there had been some unhealthy political battle, which could undermine unity in the party in the constituency.
It stated that the party was yet to open nominations to allow interested individuals a fair opportunity to participate in the constituency primary.
The statement added that the position taken by some individuals for allowing a single candidate to contest the primary infringed the party’s guidelines and constitutional provisions of selecting a parliamentary candidate.
It said the executive of the party in the constituency would soon come out with an appropriate date for fresh nominations.
However, Mr Dabi, who is also the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, said the electorate should ignore the malicious campaign against him.
He stated that his election was duly supervised by the Electoral Commission (EC) in the presence of the General Secretary of the NPP, Nana Ohene Ntow.
He added that the NPP flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, raised his hands to confirm his candidature during his recent tour of the Volta Region, and therefore asked why some people should be so callous.
Mr Dabi stated that after his election, a group made the attempt to coerce him to step down and say that he was not interested in the game.
According to Mr Dabi, “if the group insists that I should step down, then they should pay me an amount of GH¢300,000 being my campaign expenses and compensation and I will leave the place for them.”