Last weekend the spotlight was turned on the Ashanti and Eastern Regions as delegates took to the polls to elect new executives for the New Patriotic Party (NPP). There were a series of surveys indicating the margin of winners in both regions.
However, in the Ashanti Region, not all party people had faith in the electoral process.
Shortly after the exercise, the public/electorates expressed displeasure in the process and eventual outcome of the election held on Saturday, May 28, 2022.
Some are of the belief that the exercise was designed to favour the acclaimed winner who they say has outlived his relevance in the body politics of the region.
Others claim the winner, Bernard Antwi Bosiako aka Wontumi did not show capacity for the office of the chairman for which he was elected and is not well disposed to protect the interest of the region at large.
Speaking with Pure FM they said:
“We came all the way to support the party though some of us don’t bear party cards… from what we’ve witnessed here, it will be very difficult for the party to break the 8. Honestly what the NPP needs now is a change in leadership. We have a choice from now to 2024 to rethink our decision. The ‘yentie obia’ attitude is becoming one too many. As you can see, the whole region is silent, Kumasi is silent, and that’s the first sign of disappointment in the hearts of many, they said.
Also speaking, leaders of some identifiable groups who paid solidarity visit to candidate Odeneho Kwaku Appiah in his home on Monday, May 30, said that people have enthusiastically and with relentless vigor, contributed to the growth and development of the party in the region, ‘only for one person to hijack the party’.
“We believe without a doubt that the will of the people has been subverted and this election was conducted in the interest of some big men, but we’ll show them the exit in 2024.”
But some members of the 4 aspirants’ campaign team who spoke off record said, “In due course, our grievances and all other necessary steps would be made formal to the party.”