The Daily Guide newspaper on Thursday reported that it had uncovered an alleged plan by former President J.J. Rawlings and his camp in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to silently oust some Members of Parliament (MPs) ahead of the crucial 2008 elections. The paper said meetings have been held in various constituencies in the country to actualize the plot, “signs of which are beginning to manifest in some parts of the three northern regions. The meetings are being coordinated by some former ministers who owe their loyalty to the Rawlingses. The paper said 15 seats in the Northern Region had been penciled for the Rawlingses' immediate attention. “Indeed, far-reaching arrangements have been put in place to support the internal revolution.” The Daily Guide said three seats in the Northern Regional capital, Tamale have been earmarked for capture, and meetings have been held with constituency executives, a move which has received open condemnation from party headquarters. "It has come to the notice of the National Headquarters that some people are going round the country, especially in the Northern Region, claiming to have been sent by the National Headquarters to prepare grounds and supervise primaries of the election of Parliamentary candidates. "The Headquarters wishes to bring to the notice of the general public, especially NDC Regional, Constituency and branch executives, that no such persons have been mandated to perform any duty on behalf of Headquarters. The Headquarters is therefore cautioning that any person who makes such a claim should be reported to the Headquarters immediately. "The NEC wishes to remind all concerned that the ongoing exercise is in respect of orphan constituencies only. A separate timetable will be issued for constituencies with sitting MPs in due course. Prospective candidates for constituencies with sitting NDC MPs are warned to desist from any form of campaigning, whether overtly or covertly, until further directives are received from the National Headquarters," the warning stated. But the DAILY GUIDE said it could confirm that the 15 parliamentary seats include those of Minority Leader and MP for Nadowli West, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin; Spokesman on Communications and MP for Tamale South, Haruna Iddrisu; Spokesman on Energy and MP for Nabdam, Moses Asaga; Alhaji Abukari Sumani, MP for Tamale North; Inusah Fusseini, Tamale Central and Hajia Boforo, MP for Savelugu. “Also on the hit list are Mahama Ayariga, MP for Bawku Central; Amadu Seidu, MP for Yapei Kusawgu, Imoro Yakubu, MP for Kumbungu, Zakaii Alidu, Walewale, Dauda Karaga, Dr Alhassan Yakubu, MP for Mion, Mo¬hammed Abass, Bimbilla and Mubarak Mohammed, Asawase. The move is seen by observers as a resuscitation of what appears to be a suspended previous exercise to shake up some executives of some constituencies in the Northern Regions. Hon. Moses Asaga, the economist, lost his position as minority spokesperson on Finance and Economic planning to Hon Benjamin Kumbuor who, even though a lawyer, is seen to be inclined to fitting into the political strategy of the Rawlingses. According to the paper, one of the objectives of the revolution is to ensure that the party's strategic seats, otherwise known as safe seats, strewn across the Volta and Northern Regions are secured and kept directly under their control. The new effort is to ensure that the handpicked and financially supported MPs owe allegiance to the party's financiers, otherwise it will remain cash-strapped. Some of the targeted seats are areas hosting persons identified as pro-Obed but who have not yet decamped to the DFP because they do not want to lose their parliamentary seats now. This agenda, treated as a classified strategy in Rawlings' circles, is being coordinated by former ministers. In the Northern Region, the group reportedly met with an ex-convict minister, who later arranged a meeting with the executives. The paper said the 'coup', which is scheduled to cover all the three Northern Regions, was exposed when a few weeks ago, emissaries were sent to the Tamale South constituency to meet with some constituency executives at the residence of an opinion leader and elder of the NDC in the Northern regional capital. The emissaries included John Adams, the man who got busy on radio programmes, defending a soldier being held in detention for his alleged engagement in political activities. The emissaries persuaded the executives to accept the overtures of Founder Rawlings to have more loyal personalities in the House of Parliament than those perceived to have sold their birthrights to the National Security Minister, Francis Poku. The paper said the Founder has not been happy with their inability to oppose more vigorously, the Kufuor government. The Daily Guide said Rawlings aim in pursuing that agenda, is to reduce the authority of flag bearer Prof. J.E.A. Mills, who the paper alleged has his campaign team already complaining that the it was not getting support from the founder and the National Executive Committee members. Source: Daily Guide