Blows At Volta NDC Vetting

The vetting process for selection of persons to contest the various constituency positions within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Akatsi North Constituency of the Volta Region came to an abrupt end last week Monday, 4th August, 2014 following the disqualification of some of the contestants. The vetting process which was meant to confirm the qualification of aspirants was held at Ave-Dakpa in the same constituency with the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Mr. Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe and DCE James Gunu present to witness proceedings. The otherwise peaceful and smooth process turned sour when a favourite contender for the constituency chairman position, Mr. Forget Awudi stepped into the vetting room. Despite fulfilling all the criteria for the position, reports that emerged from the vetting room indicated that Mr. Awudi was disqualified for non-payment of dues for the last one month. He was not alone as several aspirants who refused monetary enticements to give up their ambitions of leading the NDC also suffered same fate. With this treatment not going down well with the challenger to the most sought after position in the party at the constituency level, Mr. Awudi who suspected a foul play from the camp of the incumbent, Prince Aglagoh swore fire and brimstone to ensure that he gets a fair treatment. �As for Forget Awudi, he said he would not allow the case to die like that. He told me he will petition the regional executive, national executive or possibly go to court to seek legal redress,� a source in the vetting room told this reporter. The source who described the current executives as �corrupt and selfish� continued that the fear of the incumbents losing to Mr. Awudi and several other contenders to the constituency executive positions necessitated them taking drastic measures to ensure their disqualification from the contest. �The current executives know that they will lose if other people should contest them�,� he stated. The intensity of arguments in the vetting room, the paper further gathered, led to Mr. Awudi verbally abusing the Akatsi North Director of Education, Mrs. Kate Nutsugah-Mikado who was part of the vetting committee. Mr. Awudi�s anger stemmed from the fact that he could not fathom why public servant and a district director, who is supposed to be non-partisan, would be part of a political party�s executive vetting committee that are using clandestine tactics to knock him out of the race. The assault could have turned bloody but for some party members in the vetting room who did all they could to separate the two. Mr. Awudi collaborated they sequence of events in a telephone interview with this reporter. �This is what happened and I have already petitioned the regional executive so let us wait to see what happens next.� He said.