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THE VIGOR of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kumasi has dwindled following the defection of over 5,000 supporters of the party at the race course market. The market which was meant for resettling traders at the Kumasi central business district after the 2001 decongestion exercise was for years used as a housing area. The slums that sprung up on the vast land belonging to the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II leading to all sorts of criminal activities in the area were demolished early Tuesday morning by the KMA to pave way for construction of the Sunshine City project. On Monday residents of the area who are mainly of Northern descent and staunch members of the ruling party, announced at a press conference that they had defected to the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Chairman of the NDC Race Course branch, Abubakar Saddick noted during the press conference that the move by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to relocate them necessitated their decision to desert the ruling party. He noted that because they would be negatively affected by the eviction, they had written several letters asking the KMA boss, Samuel Sarpong for leniency. Saddick explained that they were not against the planned relocation in principle but were only pleading with Mr. Sarpong to extend the deadline given to them to leave the area. The over 10,000 traders who work at the race course market were given up till the end June to leave but due to the fierce resistance of the traders, the stipulated deadline could not be effected. Determined to carry out the relocation exercise, the KMA decided to invade the place with bulldozers to clear everything in sight on Tuesday to enable re-development of the area begin. Through the efforts of the Asantehene, Kembert Group and its international partners, a South African based company has agreed to construct a multi-purpose project in the area to be known as Sunshine City. Saddick said what infuriated them to quit the NDC was a comment allegedly made by the KMA boss that the race course traders were thieves hence no assistance could be given to them. He stressed that if Mr. Sarpong who is a representative of President Mills in Kumasi could purportedly refer to them as thieves who did not require any assistance then they could no longer remain in the NDC. According to him, leading members of the NDC including then candidate Mills, visited them on the eve of the 2008 elections and promised to ensure that they remained at the race course area if they help the party come to power. Saddick emphasized that because of this promise the settlers voted massively for the NDC. He explained that they asked for an extension of the deadline because none of their members had so far been able to pay the GH�6,000 the KMA is requesting them to pay before they get a place at the new market at Abinkyi. The chairman said members of the group have not been able to raise the said amount because most of them were either petty traders or jobless. Saddick, who dispelled allegations that their defection was influenced by the NPP, said the group had realized that if the NPP was in power, they would not have treated them in such an inhumane manner.