Bawku Central NPP Resolves Impasse

Story:Benjamin Glover,Bawku 20 August, 2007
A leading member of the New Patriotic Party, Mr Jibreel Ustarz Abubakar, who resigned from the party and contested the 2004 parliamentary elections as an independent candidate in the Bawku Central Constituency of the Upper East Region, has rescinded his decision and has applied for readmission into the party.

In  a letter addressed to the National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Peter Mac Manu, Mr Abubakar said his decision to rejoin the party followed an amnesty granted by the party and most importantly the reconciliation meeting that took place in Bawku on August 21, 2006 under the able leadership of the national chairman.

He said it was his fervent hope and prayer that the decisions arrived at the reconciliation meeting would be carried out.

In a related development, Mr Peter Mac Manu has announced that the impasse among the executive and party members in the Bawku Central Constituency had been resolved amicably.

Mr Mac Manu told newsmen at Bolgatanga after a visit to the area that the conflict among the executive members, as well as party members, which nearly tore the party apart, was a thing of the past.

He mentioned that a new 10-member interim management committee under the chairmanship of Mr Mohammed Murtala and Mr Issah Zangego as secretary was set up to oversee the day-to-day activities of the party.

Mr Mac Manu said owing to the success in bringing the two factions together, the people of Bawku, especially supporters of the party, had imposed on him the title “Dr PUT”, which means, patience, understanding and tolerance.

He commended the efforts of the regional executive of the party, as well as Col George Minyila, Alhaji Mahama Gumah, Mr Jonathan Agme and Mr Francis Afoko for their role in helping to bring about unity in the party in the constituency.

The national chairman said major stakeholders in the party in the region, including Alhaji Yerimeah, had also hailed the reconciliation exercise as “wonderful”.

He indicated that similar reconciliation exercises would be undertaken in the Binduri, Chiana Paga and Talensi constituencies where the party had similar problems as happened in Bawku and that the party was poised to make a major turn around in its fortunes in the 2008 general elections in the Upper East Region.

Mr Mac Manu intimated that as the national chairman of the NPP, his focus was on how to secure the party from unwarranted attacks, make the party stable, and engineer it for victory in 2008.

Story by  Benjamin  Glover/Daily Graphic.