The Vetting Committee of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), has failed all four aspirants, who are contesting the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP)  for the Atiwa East Constituency in the Eastern Region, Hon Abena Osei Asare.

The failed aspirants are Ernest Adade Owiredu, Kudjoe Amegah Kafui, Eric Agyarko, and Dr Benny Frank.

This has paved way for Hon Abena Osei Asare, who doubles as the Deputy Minister for Finance to go unopposed.

Apart from the Atiwa East Constituency, Dr Owusu Akyem Asare, an aspiring candidate who is contesting the Minister of Roads And Highway, Amoako Atta, MP for Atiwa West was also disqualified.

Other contenders from Abirem and Fanteakwa North were also disqualified.

The Regional Secretary of NPP, Jeff Konadu in reactions said they were disqualified on conditions of conspiring with some party supporters to invoke curses on the Regional Vetting Committee ahead of the vetting process last week.

He said the Vetting Committee disqualified them to maintain discipline in the party.

Nana Obiri Boahene, the Deputy General Secretary of the party, who is the Chairman of the Eastern Regional Vetting Committee added that they have bad records, regards to their documents and personalities.

He said with regards to the other aspirants, their Party Constituency executives wrote numerous petitions against them which the Committee after looking through took the decision to disqualify them.

The party members from Atiwa East Constituency ahead of the vetting on Saturday afternoon storms the Regional Ministers residence in Koforidua where the vetting is taken place to rain insults on the Regional Chairman, Kingston Kissi and his executives.

Their reaction brought tension and confusion at the vetting grounds.

It took the intervention of the Police officers at the residence before the situation was put under control.

Invoking of curse

The youth claiming to be supporters and polling station executives of the NPP last week invoked a curse on any individual or group that attempt to disqualify any of the four aspirants contesting the incumbent MP, Abena Osei Asare.

The bare-chested men clad with pieces of cloth around their heads and arms also called on the gods to kill family members of the said individuals.

In their incantations, the supporters said “We invoke a curse on any member of the vetting committee who attempts to disqualify any of the four men contesting the incumbent MP. His children and wife must be annihilated. Any vetting committee member who shows bias towards one candidate must also be dealt with”.
They added “anyone who tries to manipulate the system in favour of anyone must not be spared”

The Leader of the disgruntled youth, Nana Ofori noted that “we travelled to a powerful shrine to invoke this curse. We are not joking so if they risk their own life if they think we are joking. We are not going to allow bribes to ruin our party. Some constituency executives are following the money to destroy the party.”

Others constituencies such as; Abirem, Atiwa West and Fanteakwa South are also facing such challenges.