NDC Group Wants Disqualification Of Gbevlo Lartey Overturned

A group calling itself Likpe National Democratic Congress (NDC) Executives and Activists on Wednesday called on the Party to rescind its decision to disqualify Nestor Kojo Gbevlo-Lartey from contesting the Hohoe-North Constituency Parliamentary Primaries.

Henry Sronipa, Likpe NDC Ward Coordinator, speaking for the group at a press-conference at Hohoe, alleged that the deed to bar Mr Gbevlo-Lartey was arranged by a clique within the Hohoe-North Executives of the party with the connivance of regional and national executives of the Party.

He said the group’s protestation should represent a strong warning to those “faceless enemies of Likpe,” who, by their manipulations, were putting the “interest of Hohoe-North Constituency at risk”.

Mr Sronipa said Likpe had a big clout in the constituency, having the second largest number of voters in the area. He said Mr Gbevlo-Lartey was young, dynamic and vibrant and had qualities to unite the Party, given the opportunity.

Mr William Chidiack, the man acclaimed to be a founding father of the NDC in Hohoe-North Constituency called those working against Mr Gbevlo Lartey enemies of the Party and self-seekers, warning that “No Gbevlo Lartey, no vote”. When contacted, Mr Simon Amegashi-Viglo, NDC Volta Regional Secretary said there were very clear avenues for resolving these issues that the group could have used.

He said Mr Gbevlo Lartey was disqualified on the grounds that he had not been an active member of the NDC in that constituency for two consecutive years as stated in the NDC constitution and that the burden of proving otherwise rested with the group.

Mr John Nyoagbe, a past executive of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) who also aspires to contest that constituency seat, was axed by the vetting committee.

That leaves Mr Prince Jacob Hayibor, the incumbent, Mr Theophilus Dzimega, Dr Bernice Heloo and Fred Agbenyo as the contestants in the forthcoming primaries in the constituency.