A former People’s National Convention (PNC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Bolgatanga, Mr David Apasera, is seething with rage over what he claims was an alleged role of the National Chairman of the party, Mr Bernard Mornah, towards his exclusion from the Electoral Commission’s list of aspirants in the upcoming elections.
After being offered huge sums of money and other inducements, Mr Mornah, the aggrieved candidate charged, was acting zealously in the interest of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) to see its parliamentary candidate emerge victorious.
Narrating his ordeal, Mr Apasera noted that the party made it clear to its parliamentary candidates that it was in the position to pay their filing fees, an announcement which urged him to fill and deposit his forms with the Electoral Commission (EC).
However, Mr Apasera indicated that even though the party paid the fees for 65 of the 275 candidates, he received the shock of his life when his name came up as one of those captured on the EC’s list of disqualified candidates in the region, following an announcement.
The former MP stated that: “The party chairman had quietly struck out his name without drawing his attention to it,” explaining further that the move was cleverly crafted so that, “after the deadline, he would not be able to contest the coming parliamentary elections, a subversion from within.”
Having served as a Member of Parliament for eight years – between 2000 and 2008 – Mr Apasera was confident of winning this year’s election to shore up the strength of legislators the PNC would boast of.
He was convinced that “…this time round after the electorates have had a feel of a number of MPs, I would have been given the nod,” asking rhetorically that, “why should the so-called chairman of the party deny me and the party the opportunity?”
To that question, he stated that, “I had no answer than to say that, the so-called chairman was acting in the interest of another party, which has a candidate in my constituency,” adding that, “he must have been properly ‘seen’, to undertake such an (shameful) act.”
Touching on the disqualification of the PNC’s presidential candidate by the EC last week, the former Bolgatanga legislator revealed that there was a deliberate arrangement between the General Secretary and Mr Mornah to foil Dr Edward Mahama’s candidacy.
In the case of Mr Bernard Mornah, the incensed former MP said information available to him revealed that: “When at the party office, when it was all hands on deck to see the presidential candidate’s forms being properly filled, the so-called chairman was relaxed and sleeping in his office.”
For him, the care-free attitude of the chairman could mean nothing less than an act that “could only be in the interest of another political party.”
Mr Apasera also expressed concern over vehicles and monies the party had raised to support its campaign, observing that “since the beginning of this year’s general elections, no one sees a car or van branded in PNC colours, yet cars have been given to the party by well-wishers.”
“I am aware that monies have flowed into the party but no one has seen any significant party activity. And one would have a cause to believe that it is for the grabbing of these goodies that the conspiracy has been hatched to leave PNC without a flag bearer so that the demise of the party would be pronounced sooner than later, “he remarked.
Mr Apasera thus wants the supporters of the party to press for the removal of the National Chairman of the party from office.
Meanwhile, Mr Bernard Monarh has told Joy FM that he was not aware his accuser was contesting the elections.
According to him, Apasare tried to use the courts to invalidate results that won him the chairmanship but failed.
Mr Monarh challenged Apasare to provide evidence that vehicles had been given to the party which he (Monarh) has sat on them.
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