A group calling itself the Northern New Patriotic Party (NPP) Concerned Youth has expressed reservations about the processes in the upcoming parliamentary primaries.
The group has said it is disappointed in the regional executives, particularly Chairman Bantima Samba, over ongoing controversies in Bimbilla.
Irate supporters of an aspirant, Alhaji Nuhu Zaruk, last week vandalised the party office to register their displeasure over the removal of his name from the vetting list.
The agitated supporters threatened to set the party office ablaze if Alhaji Zaruk’s name was not reinstated.
The situation escalated as they burned tires and threw stones at the office, prompting the intervention of the military to disperse them.
At a press conference in Tamale on Monday, the group called on the national executives as a matter of urgency to intervene and resolve the issue amicably.
They have also urged other regional executives who disagree with manner Chairman Samba is handling the primaries to speak out.
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Read the press statement below:
For immediate release.
8th January, 2024
The leadership of Northern NPP Concern Youth has taken notice of happenings in Bimbilla relative to NPP parliamentary primaries. The said issue has generated so much controversy beyond the shores of the Bimbilla constituency.
As a concern NPP youth group numbers over one thousand, with members across the 18 constituencies of the Northern Region. We wish to condemn the Northern Regional Executives especially the Regional Chairman in the person of Chairman Samba for failing to resolve this minor issue which may eventually cost the party the Bimbilla seat.
For us, the failure of candidate Zaruk to sign portions of the nomination form which we deem important shouldn’t have gone beyond the management of the constituency. The constituency executives had every opportunity to get Alhaji Zaruk to sign the form if they had performed the due diligence role they were required to perform.
Also, for candidate Zaruk to admit fault and apologize during the vetting meant there was an opportunity for the matter to be settled amicably without further dragging the issue. But for Chairman Samba to have violated the instructions of the vetting committee chairman and asked for candidate Zaruk to go back to Bimbilla and sign the form meant Chairman Samba and his supporting regional executive were not just ready for the issue to be resolved anytime soon.
The conduct of Chairman Samba is therefore surprising and uncalled for in a democratic party like ours. What will Chairman Samba and his Regional Executives benefit if candidate Zaruk goes to Bimbilla and signs the form? Chairman Samba and the vetting committee invited the media into the vetting room so they could get evidence that candidate Zaruk was the problem in this whole Bimbilla chaos but, what prevented Chairman Samba and his Vetting committee members from allowing candidate Zaruk to sign the form in the presence of that same media so we know they were serving the best interest of our party.
It is therefore obvious that Chairman Samba and his cabal of Regional Executives are up to something and the earlier the party hierarchy gets involved the better.
By this statement, we wish to give notice to other regional executives who may not support what is going on but chose to remain silent over this Bimbilla brouhaha to better speak out now or forever remain silent as we the youth will deem their silence to mean an endorsement of what Chairman Samba is doing.
To the party general secretary and our respected flagbearer, the earlier you step your foot on the ground and get Chairman Samba to do the right thing the better. If the actions of Chairman Samba lead to the party losing the Bimbilla seat we will blame you as well for failing to do the right thing when the alarm bells were ranged in your ears.
To the youth of the party, if the perpetrators of this plain injustice succeed with their diabolical agenda, we will not only lose this Bimbilla seat but will also have no future under the current crop of NPP leaders.
Signed
LEADERSHIP OF NORTHERN NPP CONCERN YOUTH