The suspended parliamentary aspirant of the New Patriotic Party in the Nalerigu/Gambaga constituency, who accused the incumbent MP of election fraud, has been removed from office.
Peter Wuni Baaga was the Deputy Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) by the presidency until his accusation of Alima Mahama.
“Yes, I got my letter around 3 pm,” he confirmed his removal from office to JoyNews on Thursday.
A senior member of his campaign team also confirming the development said, “the presidency has waded into an open fight between Hajia Alimah and Peter. She has succeeded in doing what she could not do under president Kuffuor”
The letter of dismissal, from the Chief of Staff office and no reason, was offered behind the action sanctioned by Madam Akosua Fremah Osei Opare.
However, this is the latest in a stream of sanctions from multiple fronts to hit the former District Chief Executive after his May 12, radio interview back home in Nalerigu.
In that interview, he responded to allegations of stealing public funds made against him by the Local Government Minister.
It followed his suspension from the ruling party by the regional executives in response to the utterances he made in the said interview which they said breached Article 4(7) of the party’s constituency.
The Minister had allegedly accused Peter Baaga of diverting monies meant for some infrastructure projects for the Nalerigu Nursing and Midwifery College while in office as the District Chief Executive.
She had also allegedly accused Peter of disrespecting the President by rejecting his appeal to allow her to stand unopposed in the primaries.
The allegations were said to have been repeated on various campaign platforms by the Municipal Chief Executive, Nasir Danladi, and the Regional Chairman Fuseini Nurudeen.
The two are both reported to have publicly declared support for Alimah Mahama’s third bid.
In response, Mr Awuni Baaga fired counter-accusations at his opponents, alleging that the 2004 elections which saw Hajia Alimah entered Parliament for the first time, was rigged.
He was also alleged to have responded to similar allegations by the regional chairman, MCE and constituency secretary, accusing them of smuggling fertilizers meant for the Planting for Food and Jobs programme to neighbouring Burkina Faso.
Divisions within the NPP in the constituency has increased viciously since 2004 in a struggle for power and influence between those loyal to Alimah Mahama and others who say they have been betrayed and targeted in a witch-hunt aided by the presidency.
Following his suspension, earlier, over 75 members of the party left to join the opposition NDC and dozens of the supporters in the area threatened to come onto the street to protest.
Some supporters reacting to the latest sanction against Peter Wuni Baaga said they were not surprised by the move.
“We are already aware, the president has already told them he would take back his appointments if they refused to allow Hajia to go unopposed in the parliamentary primaries”, Seidu Latif told JoyNews in the regional capital, Nalerigu.
Source: reportghana
