The Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development has described as baseless the pockets of violence that greeted the release of President Akufo-Addo's list of nominees for Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executive (MMDCE) roles.

Mr Dan Botwe said that all MMDCE aspirants were made to appreciate that they could be disappointed at the start of the vetting process, and that the final decision rests with the President.

Speaking to Evans Mensah on JoyNews' PM Express Monday, the Local Government Minister said the President has the legal backing to either accept or reject any person recommended by the Selection Committee for the MMDCE role.

"All those who appear before the Committee left with the understanding that they are just putting themselves up and the final decision rests with Mr. President. All had that understanding and that the President is not bound to select somebody from among them. There's none of them who can come out to say that they did not get that understanding," he said.

There has been vandalism following the release of the list of nominees.

Some supporters of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Chereponi and East Mamprusi Districts of the North East Region went on a rampage and destroyed party properties.

Also, the youth of Odododiodoo and Bukom in the Greater Accra Region took to the streets to protest the removal of the current Accra Mayor, Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah from office.

There have been threats from party supporters in other parts of the country.

But Mr Botwe condemned the unruly behaviour of party members and called on the Ghana Police Service to arrest and prosecute individuals involved in the destruction.

He insisted that the disappointed candidates are not more loyal than those who were finally nominated.

"Those who moved to the next level where they appeared before a national vetting committee are not better party people or loyalists in any way than those who did not and yet nobody heard of any destruction or disorderly conduct. Let us not give these people a chance at all. They have no bases at all. Absolutely no bases," he insisted.

Mr. Botwe who is also the Member of Parliament for Okyere Constituency is of the firm believe that all the 260 nominees are competent and should be confirmed by their respective assemblies within 10 days from when the list of candidates were released.