Three polling station executives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Tema West have petitioned their Greater Accra Regional Executive Committee to withdraw the 2020 parliamentary candidature of Carlos Ahenkorah.
The trio argue that the conduct of their 2020 parliamentary candidate, when he knew that he had tested positive for the Coronavirus, constitutes an act of irresponsibility and recklessness.
Last week, news went rife that the Deputy Minister for Trade and NPP parliamentary candidate for Tema West, Carlos Ahenkorah, toured some registration centers to interact with officials of the Electoral Commission (EC) and registrants at the ongoing compilation of a new voter roll.
At the time he embarked on that tour, the parliamentary candidate had allegedly tested positive for the new novel Coronavirus (Covid-19), but, according to him, his doctor advised that he could go out but cautioned him to wear a face mask and ensure that he adhered to all the Covid-19 safety protocols.
It was unclear whether or not Carlos had contracted the virus during his party’s parliamentary primary, where he was captured in videos and still pictures hugging and getting into contact with some party supporters after his victory.
This, some have argued, could be possible, especially after the death of one member of his campaign team last Friday, with three testing positive the same day.
On Thursday, Carlos Ahenkorah was on the airwaves to admit that he was admitted to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for the Covid-19 test, a day before the EC’s nationwide compilation of the new voters’ register started.
His confession has been greeted with a lot of lashes and a subsequent directive from the Presidency asking Carlos to either resign from his post as Deputy Minister for Trade or be sacked; the former option he took which the seat of government acknowledged and communicated to the Ghanaian public.
But, the confession and justification by the Deputy Trade Minister for visiting registration centers despite his Covid-19 status, the three polling station executives of the Tema West Constituency explained, smacked of disregard for the President’s directives on the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a statement authored and autographed by the trio, namely, Ishmael Asiedu, Polling Station Secretary; Michael Akuffo, Polling Station Chairman; and Samuel Asante Amankwah, Polling Station Youth Organiser, it said: “Such a conduct is not only irresponsible but also criminal, as he (Carlos Ahenkorah) knew that he had tested positive. Honourable Carlos has not shown leadership, but has rather put the NPP’s name into disrepute and public ridicule, and civil society is looking at what disciplinary punishment will be meted out to him by the party.”
By his act, the three explained that Carlos Ahenkorah had caused the NPP in Tema West so many problems, to the extent that they said they do not believe they can market him to keep the seat they have never lost before.
Therefore, making reference to the NPP’s constitution of Article 4 Clause 7(1g), which states that “a member shall not bring the party into disrepute or public ridicule,” the trio strongly called on the Regional Party Executive to quickly withdraw Carlos Ahenkorah as the Tema West 2020 parliamentary candidate.
The post ‘Withdraw Ahenkorah or we lose Tema West’ appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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