The stripped winner of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Korle Klottey parliamentary primary, Nii Noi Nortey, has vowed not to participate in a re-run of the election as ordered by the party’s national executive.
The fuming victor declared, “I am not going to be part of any sham re-run”.
Re-run of primary
The steering committee of the party ordered a re-run of the parliamentary primary in the Korle Klottey constituency following months of controversy over its fairness.
The party’s decision comes after it agreed with the parties to withdraw the case from court. Announcing the decision, Ag General Secretary, John Boadu, told anxious party supporters the re-run was necessary if peace was to prevail in the constituency.
Philip Addison, who went to court after losing to Nii Noi last August, will now have the opportunity to re-launch his parliamentary bid.
He has maintained that the results of the August 2 primary were cooked to favour the former constituency chairman, Nii Nortey.
Addison who polled 22 votes as against 393 votes for Nii Noi boycotted the elections and accused the constituency executive and the Electoral Commission (EC) of staging the polls.
Decision irks supporters
The party’s decision has irked Nii Nortey’s supporters who accused the acting National Chairman, Freddie Blay, of backing Nii Noi’s contender, Phillip Addison.
But speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story, Nii Noi said he was disappointed that the delegates were being made to pay for inconsistency in party decisions.
He said he was “confused” that the party that took the decision to hold the polls on August 2, 2015 should do a u-turn .
He said the party failed to defend its decision in court after Addison dragged the party there.
“It is not my grandfather who organised the election. It is the party which did.” Nii Noi criticised the party for chickening out of the legal tussle.
Ag Gen Secretary
But the acting General Secretary, John Boadu, explained that the confusion that erupted in the constituency following the poll was because of the arbitrary decision of the then General Secretary to change the date.
“The change of date from August 8 to August 2,” he said, was not the decision of the national executive.
This change, Addison has maintained caused his defeat as it took his supporters by surprise.
Mr Boadu was reluctant to revisit the controversy or explain why the party ordered the re-run.
But he assured the supporters that the decision was arrived at after extensive consultations.
His deputy General Secretary, Nana Obiri Boahen, also stressed that even polling station executives were consulted by the party.
Nonetheless, Nana Boahen expressed reservations about the final decision.
He said the reaction from the ground meant the party might have to review its decision.
“Sincerely …I think we should go back and take a second look at it”
Take your party
He said the “unfolding drama” after the decision was announced could not be underestimated because politics was a numbers game.
Nii Noi’s supporters have vowed to leave the party.
“Take your party! God will punish you people one by one” a woman fumed at the decision as Nii Noi’s supporters left the party’s office.
Nii Noi has signalled dragging the party to court as an option open to him.
“I will be consulting my lawyers. I have been quiet from day one [but] it doesn’t mean I am stupid”
Nii Noi explained that as a former constituency chairman, he had sacrificed to make the party attractive and was being robbed of the fruits of his hardwork.
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