The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Bongo Constituency is in disarray and could have the gains it made over the years eroded.
This, according to Duke Anaba, a member of the party, is due to the District Chief Executive (DCE), Rita Atanga’s uncooperative behavior and blatant disregard of party executives at the district and regional level.
Madam Rita Atanga, he said, has side-lined party’s leadership in the affairs of the district and has, on several occasions, disregarded decisions of the party on matters that bother on the welfare of the district and the NPP in the area.
The DCE’s conduct has deepened disunity in the party in the constituency, a situation which threatens its electoral fortunes in the area in the forthcoming General Elections, he further said.
“The party cannot move forward, we are already in the minority in the district, executives are on their side of the fence, the DCE is also on her side of the fence, ‘assembly matters are assembly matters, let me operate’.
Executives say ‘party matters are party matters, let’s operate’. Is the party not in disarray? How are you going to go into battle with this fragmentation? The same people you’re stepping on their toes, next year, how do you call them to come and campaign?” he questioned.
Mr. Duke Anaba, who is the immediate past Presiding Member (PM) of the District, said this while giving an account of the circumstances that led to a brawl during a meeting of the Assembly to elect a PM to take over from him.
The district has been without a PM since 2022. An attempt in July 2022 to fill the vacant position was marred by violence following a decision by the DCE, Rita Atanga to revoke the appointment of 15 appointed Assembly Members and present a candidate “she could work with” to be elected for the position.
According to Mr. Anaba, the party had decided on a candidate for the elections.
However, Madam Rita disregarded the party’s decision and on the day of the meeting for the election, presented her own candidate inflaming the already tensed atmosphere and resulted into a brawl, in which police officers called by her were seen physically attacking Assembly Members.
“The party had a decision on who should be the PM, the DCE sidestepped that decision and brought ‘my favorite, this is the person I can work with’. The assembly members are going to elect their leader (not yours), you have only one vote”.
