The Asante Mampong Constituency branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has issued an apology following the unrest over the nomination of a Municipal Chief Executive (MCE).
Some aggrieved supporters of the party in the Constituency stormed the party’s office on Thursday, April 10, vandalising property and setting some items ablaze outside the premises.
The youth claimed they had received information that one Esther Dwomoh had been nominated for the MCE position, though there had been no official communication from the Presidency.
According to them, three individuals, the 2024 Parliamentary Candidate Yakubu Yakubu, the current Constituency Chairman Mohammed Kamil, and Imoro Iddrisu, were shortlisted after the vetting, and they insist one of them must be nominated.
Speaking in an interview on Citi FM‘s Eyewitness News on Friday April 11, Kwaku Bernasko, the Constituency Communications Officer, expressed regret over the actions of some party supporters and extended apologies to the nation, party hierarchy, regional and national executives, and President John Dramani Mahama.
Bernasko explained that the unrest stemmed from concerns raised during the vetting process, noting that initially, eight candidates applied for the MCE position, and three were shortlisted at the regional level for national vetting.
However, upon reaching the national stage, two additional names were added to the list, sparking questions among party supporters.
The situation escalated further when rumours emerged that the MCE position had been awarded to Esther Dwomoh, a candidate who was not part of the original shortlist. Dwomoh, who joined the NDC from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2022, was perceived by supporters as not being a member in good standing due to her relatively recent affiliation with the party.
Supporters argued that the three shortlisted candidates, who had served the party for over 20 years, deserved consideration for the position.
While Bernasko acknowledged the frustrations of party supporters, he condemned the acts of vandalism and violence that occurred during the unrest, stating that such actions go against the principles of the NDC.
“As for the vandalisation and the violence, we condemn that outright because it goes against the principles of the party,” Bernasko said.
The NDC leadership in Asante Mampong has called for calm and urged supporters to trust the party’s processes as efforts are made to address their concerns.
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