There were disturbing news reports that went viral on Friday that a chaotic scene was recorded at the Atebubu-Amantin Municipal Assembly when a group of New Patriotic Party (NPP) members tried to chase out the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Edward Owusu
According to the reports, “the party supporters who were going to evict the MCE were met with stiff opposition put up by persons said to be his close associates.”
This, the report indicated, “resulted in a serious physical exchanges among the NPP supporters.”
A video footage of the incident, shared by UTV, and monitored by wontumionline showed at least 10 men landing blows at each other in front of the Municipal Assembly building.
Speaking in reaction to the showdown in an exclusive interview on Wontumi Radio in its mid-day news, the NPP’s communications officer in the Atebubu-Amantin District, Eric Koranteng on Wontumi mid-day news, confirmed the incident.
According to him the constituency executives of the party have on several occasions appealed to the President to change the DCE, “who by his conduct poses a stumbling block in efforts to win back the seat.”
Mr Koranteng defended the actions by the MCE’s accusers saying, “their action is a step to prevent any obstacle that will stop the NPP from breaking the 8.”
He continued, “We don’t hate him but just that our tactics mapped out to take us into the 2024 elections are not in tune with his vision”
He continued, “it’s not an attack or any form of act to collapse his administration but what will boost the fortunes of the party in the next elections since the NPP is capable of snatching the seat from the NDC.”
Mr. Koranteng acknowledged that many were injured as a result of the scuffle but calm has so far been restored through the intervention of some high ranking members of the Party in the President’s office and the regional secretariat.
He called on the President and the National executives to find a lasting solution to the rift else the NPP will end up losing the seat come 2024.
Hon Owusu was appointed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the MCE of the Atebubu-Amantin Municipality in 2017.
Reports indicate that in 2021, a section of the residents of the municipality called on the President not to re-appoint him for another term “because they were not happy with some of his decisions in fostering party unity and cohesion