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The Northern Regional Minister, Mr. Stephen Sumani Nayina, has accused members of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the region of being envious of his position and masterminding the continuous negative reportage about him. He said he was aware the stories were being planted in the papers by his detractors within the party to get him sacked, indicating that he was never going to be perturbed by such negative tendencies. According to him, members within the regional hierarchy of the NDC are doing all in their power to succeed, with the ill motive of getting him kicked out of office as the Northern Regional Minister. �My own party people are planting all these stories because they want me out�, he remarked. Reacting to Daily Guide�s headline story; �Minister Grabs Three Houses� on Diamond FM�s Diamond Power Drive (DPD) in Tamale, Mr. Nayina admitted to owning three houses, but refused to disclose their location and the type of houses they were. The Minister refuted claims that he bought those houses during his tenure as the regional minister, indicating that the said houses were declared during his asset declaration, a mandatory requirement of all ministers of state. He accused the Daily Guide of pursuing a clandestine agenda against him and the NDC party, threatening to drag the paper to court for defamation of his character. The entire rancor with the use of the media, he stated, was aimed at forcing him to succumb to certain demands which he promised not do. He said that as long as he believed the right things were done, nothing of that sort would happen. Elements of personal hatred were influencing these individuals who were now trying to destroy him through the media, he observed. But contrary to the Minister�s claims, Sofo Awudu, popularly called Azorka, said the youth of the party did not have any bad blood with the Minister as claimed in the media. According to him, it was the inability of the Regional Minister to cater for the party�s youth that was gradually causing the turmoil in the party. Azorka also rubbished claims that he verbally abused the minister in his office. The die-hard NDC stalwart indicated that the Minister exhibited some gross disrespect towards the Regional Chairman of the party, Alhaji Sumani Zakari, by shouting at him as though he was a child. He thus took exception and cautioned him against such behaviour. �I told the Minister the truth, I did not insult him�, he remarked. Reports gathered indicate that the Northern Regional Minister and a number of party functionaries in the region are not seeing eye-to-eye. This has been given credence following the fallout between the party�s chairman and the minister, leading to the formation of a new camp; bringing the number of factions in the party to three. It is feared that if these internal wrangling are not immediately addressed, a bloody regional party congress is in the offing, with many counter groups pitching camp with their favourites who are gearing up to contest various positions.