Former Northern Regional Minister, Mr. Salifu Sa-eed, has called on the rank and file of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Bimbila constituency to embrace peace and unity in the wake of the party’s Parliamentary primaries ahead of the 2024 general elections.
He emphasized peace and unity is paramount despite people’s diversified opinions and interest in every democratic practice. The former Minister further underscored the need for the NPP supporters to bury their differences in order to consolidate the gains of the party in the impending presidential and parliamentary polls.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we need unity; unity is the center of everything. Bimbila constituency we need unity. Nobody has done anything wrong, in every contest, in every democracy, so many people [Like Bob Marley said that many are called but few are chosen], have diverse ways of expressing their interest but I want to say by the end of the day, even if people go to court and appeal, after the ruling, you would still need to comeback and patch yourself and coexist and live in peace” he stated.
The former Regional Minister’s call comes on the back of series of protests and agitations by some supporters of the NPP against the incumbent Member of Parliament, Dominic Nitiwul going unopposed in the party’s primaries.
The only aspirant who announced his ambition to challenge the NPP legislator, Alhaji Ahmed Zaruk, was disqualified by the regional vetting committee for allegedly failing to sign some portions of the nomination forms he submitted to contest the elections.
However, Mr. Saeed during the acclamation of Dominic Nitiwul as the 2024 Parliamentary candidate on Sunday, January 21, 2024, argued the strategy of the NPP allowing the lawmaker to always go unopposed has enabled the party to consolidate its gains over the years.
“We’re doing this based on the experiences and benefits that we have gotten. We have been winning Bimbila constituency because we have been going unopposed and that has helped us to consolidate the party here if not the constituency was going to be an NDC stronghold.”
He continued, “But based on the approach and the methodology we have been using, this is what has helped us to perform well and win both presidential and parliamentary elections”.
He therefore charged the party sympathizers to diligently work towards the victory of the NPP in the upcoming December 7, 2024, general elections.
Meanwhile, Dominic Nitiwul for his part called on all party supporters in the constituency to work hard to deliver over 50,000 votes in the upcoming polls.
“I have been going round the constituency in the last seven days from village to village and engaging opinion leaders’ one on one and I can assure you that the NPP party at grassroot is more stronger than how we were in 2020.”
The Defense Minister said the government despite the economic challenges continues to provide the needed development in the constituency and mentioned some ongoing project in the area.
“We’re fixing the problems and all we need is your prayer and your support. What I do not want and we do not want is to deepen the tribal divide. Please, we have gone beyond the Konkomba and Nanumba matter; we have gone beyond a situation where Konkombas will say a Dagomba man or Nanumba man and Dagombas will say Kpinkpaa doo, we have gone beyond that practice” he advised.
Dominic Nitiwul said leaders must be selected based on their competence and capabilities devoid of tribal persuasions.