The entire 19-member council of elders for the New Patriotic Party's Obuasi constituency have resigned from the party. The 19 people resigned to protest a decision of the National Executive to uphold constituency elections which they claim was unconstitutional. The party’s electoral committee ignored a court injunction placed on the Obuasi constituency elections, and allowed them to vote during the NPP’s Ashanti regional congress on Monday. Member of Parliament for Obuasi, Edward Ennin, says the mass resignation is a big blow for the party. Delving deeper into the issue, Mr Ennin said the issue started when the national executives threw away a report prepared at the instance of the regional executives of the party on disputed polling station elections in the constituency. According to him, the council of elders investigated results of polling station elections from 30 polling stations but the council had recommended that elections be held for only seven polling stations. The national executive committee however rejected the report of the council of elders and ordered the constituency secretary to conduct elections, a situation which did not go down well with the council of elders. Meanwhile the Chairman of the NPP Council of Elders in Obuasi, Nana Antwi, tells Joy News that although he and his colleagues have resigned, they will not defect to another party. In a reaction to the developments, newly elected Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Frederick Fredua Antoh, said the situation is rather unfortunate as it comes closely on the heels of the party’s regional congress. Myjoyonline.com