Tension brews in NPP; presidential staffer fingered in a plot to unseat incumbent MP
Some pockets of misunderstanding are still ongoing within the New Patriotic Party over polling station executive elections this time in the Eastern Region as a group known as the Concerned Youth of Suhum have pointed accusing fingers at Presidential staffer Frank Asiedu Bekoe also known as Protozoa for trying to influence the executives and electoral coordinators with money as he nurses the ambition of unseating the incumbent legislator Oboafo Kwadwo Asante.
The disgruntled youth group further accused the Presidential staffer who is also Special Assistant to the Chief of staff Frema Osei Opare of colluding with the Municipal Chief Executive for Suhum, Margaret Darko to create disunity in the party and undermining the Member of Parliament.
Convener of the group, Samuel Baah alias Gosh in a press briefing said, “The MCE for Suhum has turned her official residence into championing a parliamentary ambition of a Presidential staffer Frank Asiedu Bekoe popularly known as Protozoa. Apart from using public property for a private parochial interest, she has been using her office to undermine the Member of Parliament, Hon Oboafo Kwadwo Asante.
“The MCE is on record instigating party supporters against the MP, again the MCE is using resources meant to support the disable in the Constituency to support the agenda of the Presidential staffer which we think is callousness”.
He brought out what appeared picture evidence though not independently verified to demonstrate that the Presidential staffer and the MCE bribed voters during the recent internal election.
“In the just-ended NPP polling station and electoral area coordinators election, the MCE and Frank Asiedu Bekoe, distributed things such as hair dryers, pieces of cloth, spraying machines and amount of money to induce electorate to influence the outcome of the party internal election. He spent billions to induce an electorate which included a vote for staunch NDC members to become NPP polling station executives. A team formed by Protozoa was also seen in the open sharing GHS50 each to all who have queued to vote in the polling station election. If only one presidential staffer can spray out money just in a polling station election. Would Sharing and spraying of cash be made during the general election?
The group also lamented that there is total disunity and a volatile political environment in the party due to the actions of the MCE and the Presidential staffer.
“The MCE and the presidential staffer are disturbing the peace and will affect the fortunes of the party in the Constituency. They instigate supporters to cast aspersions at the MP at social events including funerals”.
The group cautioned that they may be forced to recall the Member of Parliament, Oboafo Kwadwo Asante, to leave Parliamentary businesses to come to the base of the party to work.
“We are therefore by this press conference sending a strong signal to the NPP caucus in Parliament and office of the Chief of Staff as well as the Presidency that we are tired of this happening going on in the Constituency and that we are from next week 28 March 2022 going to pull the Suhum MP Oboafo Kwadwo Asante out of Parliament to counter the weird situation happening on grounds. We have tolerated this for a long time for peaceful atmosphere but it is time we call a spade a spade”.
Friction between the camp of the MP and Protozoa and the MCE led to many bloody clashes. On August 28, 2021, for instance, a communication officer for Lower West Akyem, Bernard Kwasi Amoani was slashed in the forehead with a machete, three others sustained minor injuries.
The suspect Samuel Kofi Agyei alias Jamalo, driver of the MP, was on September 1, 2021, arrested and arraigned in court.
