An aspiring Parliamentary Candidate for the Binduri Constituency, Stephen Atugiba, who lost narrowly in the recent parliamentary primaries of the NDC is threatening to go independent should government fail to relinquish the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs Lucy Awuni off her post. Mr. Atugiba backed by some constituency party executives is therefore calling on His Excellency President John Evans Atta Mills to with immediate effect remove her from office to enable and enhance the party to annex the parliamentary seat from the NPP. Adherence he explained would enhance the party’s chances of retaining power come 2012. Briefing the press on his intention to file as an independent candidate for the Binduri constituency, Mr. Atugiba explained that his call for the removal of the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister is not ill- motivated but informed by the fact that she failed to play a neutral role in the just ended parliamentary primaries as the mother of the region thus contributing to his defeat to his main contender, Mr Ben Noah who clinched 92 votes as against 90 votes to emerge as the new parliamentary candidate for the constituency. Mr. Atugiba also accused Mrs. Awuni of being self centred, biased in the awards of contracts, and for exhibiting gross incompetency in the discharge of her official duty by being insensitive to the plight of her constituents. Mr Atugiba leveled various allegations against Mrs. Awuni , stressing that she is championing the cause of division among members of the party in the Binduri constituency. Mrs Awuni has for the past two weeks come under constant criticism from some section of the youth of Binduri, particularly, a group calling itself Concern Youth of Binduri advocating for her removal. Speaking to Radio Ghana, the spokesperson of the said group, Andrew Asungiiba, vowed that the group with the support of other individuals, would either boycott voting or vote ‘skirt and blouse’ in the upcoming general election should government refuse to heed to their call. They again threatened to ‘fight tooth’ and nail till government intervenes by ensuring the urgent removal of the deputy minister. When contacted, Mrs. Awuni refuted all allegations leveled against her stating that the move is a calculated attempt by some individuals to tarnish her hard won reputation and warned that such behaviours when not exercise with caution would spell doom for the party in the 2012 general elections. She however seized the opportunity to caution the youth against divisive tendencies, emphasizing that the party’s chances of wrestling power from the NPP in the constituency could only be realized if collaborative efforts are made to foster unity among the rank and file particularly party executives. She advised the youth of the party to rather devise key strategies that would entice more people into the party and not resort to the launch of personal attack on individuals.
GBC END IA/
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