Some members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Biakoye Constituency of the Oti Region have expressed their anger over what they describe as a ploy to impose executives on them.

These members from 25 polling stations numbering about 2,700 were denied the right to elect their executives on Saturday, as the constituency election committee members failed to conduct elections in their areas.

They fear the development would cause disaffection and consequently affect the electoral fortunes of the NPP in the constituency and region.

Members from the 25 polling stations in the Tapa Abotoase and Tapa Amanya areas gathered at their respective election centers eager to elect their executives on Saturday.

However, the Biakoye Election Committee failed to show up to organize polls to give opportunity to the members to select their desired candidates.

The agitated members said they smell foul play since the committee earlier denied some aspirants in the same polling stations access to nomination forms.

They said the aspirants had to pick nomination forms at the headquarters in Accra, submitted and were cleared to contest without being vetted by the committee.

“We could not buy the nomination forms when the executives came here because there was confusion. We managed to get the forms at the national headquarters and submitted them", said Manu Samuel.

"They [election committee] accepted the forms and scheduled today for the elections. We have been here since 8 o’clock but the committee members have failed to come and organize the elections. The top hierarchy of the party must act now. Some 3 executives have hijacked the party", he added.

An elderly party member, Gabriel Obuor Dartey, asserted that the current executives have fallen out of their favor since their actions depict that they do not serve in the interest of the party but are only self seeking.

He added that he had participated in several elections to select executives but had never witnessed what transpired on Saturday where an election committee would fail to organize an election and "give no reason for its failure."

"We haven't seen any significant improvement in the party during the 8 years administration of the constituency executives. They are selfish."

"That is why we are eager to elect new executives to help the NPP break the 8”, he stressed.

“We want to ask if the NPP Party belongs to an individual and his family? If we are not allowed to elect our polling station executives in Tapa Alavanyo, we will leave the party and join a different one”, said Charity Amu, an aggrieved member.

Addressing the press, Prosper Asare, believes the Biakoye election committee is scheming to deny them their rights to elect their executives following a no show on Saturday and impose their favorites on them, hoping to secure another term in office.

"Being committed members of the great elephant fraternity, we reported at our various election centres early morning in anticipation of electing our respective executives".

"To our dismay the Biakoye Constituency Elections Committee led by Abubakar Salifou the Oti Regional NPP Organizer failed to show up to conduct the exercise they were commissioned and duly provided logistics for", he said.

He was astonished about the fact that the election committee ensured the successful election of executives in the Worawora, Bowiri and Nkonya areas between Wednesday, 2nd March 2022 and Friday, 4th March 2022, only to decide to abandon the Tapa area.

"Is this a calculated attempt to deny us the right to elect our leaders, hereby, imposing their favourites on us to serve the selfish interests of a few, at the detriment of the party?", he quizzed.

Mr. Asare expressed worry the actions by the committee would have a replicated effect on the NPP which is gaining grounds in the NDC stronghold, calling on the party's national executives to ensure their grievances are resolved and polling station elections held as prescribed by the party's constitution.

"The aggrieved members numbering over 2,700 are therefore calling on President Akufo-Addo, the NPP General Secretary, John Boadu, and the NPP National Chairman, Freddie Blay, to call the committee to order and ensure elections are held in these affected 25 polling stations."

"If this is not done, we will assume that these affected polling stations do not have delegates to represent them in the constituency elections or any party activity", he stressed.