There is a tussle within the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Yendi constituency in the northern region after the Chief Executive Officer for the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Hajia Abibata Shani Mahama Zakaria, announced her intention to stage a comeback to contest the incumbent Member of Parliament, Farouk Aliu Mahama, in the 2023 parliamentary primaries of the party.
In a recent local media interview in Tamale, the MASLOC Chief Executive Officer was asked whether she would contest the impending parliamentary elections and she replied in the affirmative, “Yes! I will contest again when the party open nominations but for now, no further comment.”
The announcement has cause a stir in the party and as a result, a section of the NPP youth in the Yendi constituency, calling itself, “Concern Youth of NPP Yendi” petitioning the party to call the MASLOC CEO to order.
The petitioners believe the utterance of the latter is a violation of the party’s code of conduct as promulgated by its National Council in July 2021 to instill discipline, party unity and cohesion.
The group in its petition to the disciplinary committee through the constituency secretariat alleged that the former NPP Parliamentary Aspirant is engaged in activities that promote her parliamentary ambition – organizing gatherings, media engagements in both print and electronic, which in their view, is a complete disregard of the party’s dictate to prevent premature campaigns , adding, this infringes on Article 3(5) subsection A(4).
“We humbly draw your attention to some of the activities of Hajia Abibata Shani Mahama which violate the established codes of the party and consequent thereon petition your able and high authority to exact the due sanctions therein in conformity with Article 4 of the constitution of the party” parts of the petition said.
“Hajia Abibata Shani Mahama with stark disregard for party’s direction is seen moving from community to community in the Yendi constituency engaging in activities that promote her parliamentary interest under some camouflage which infringes on Article 3(5) subsection A(4). Code of conduct 1(c), 1(f) which in totality borders on Article 4(7) and therefore shall attract sanctions to be recommended by the relevant disciplinary committee object to such modification as the executive committee may make” the petitioners added.
However, a concern member of the NPP in the Yendi constituency, Shei Zakaria, in a rejoinder said the group members are known loyalists of the NPP lawmaker for the area, Farouk Aliu Mahama, who are out to soil the hard earned reputation of the MASLOC Boss.
According to him, the group has flagrantly and brazenly violated the NPP constitution by misapplying the provisions and articles of in the constitution in their desperate attempt to dent the image of the latter.
“It is my fervent wish that those three petitioners – namely, Aliu Adam Mohammed, Abukari Inusah and Abukari Iddrisu are educated on the provisions and articles of the party since they are new entrants after having defected to NDC in 2008” he asserted.
He sort to explain that, as a respectable and proud daughter of Dagbon, born and bred in Yendi, Hajia Abibata thought it wise to pay homage to opinion leaders in the constituency to inform them about the confidence President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reposed in her by making her the substantive CEO of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre having served initially as the deputy CEO.
“She did not meet any polling station executive or delegate. Again, she had engagements with TV and Radio stations basically to educate the masses on how her outfit (MASLOC office) operates and nothing more” Shei Zakaria vehemently refuted.
“From the above, which of these activities of Hajia Abibata contravene or violates any of the provisions or articles of the constitution? Or do you need your self-shadow scared man to tell you that, Yendi seat is not his bona fide property?” he queried.
Mr. Zakaria said the antics, gimmicks, shenanigans and mudslinging have the tendency of causing intra-political bifurcation in the party and that the ramifications will be teary for the masterminds.
