The 2016 presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Saturday, December 19, paid a courtesy call on the Omanhene of Sunyani, Nana Bosome Asor Nkrawie II, ahead of the NPP’s Extraordinary National Delegates’ Conference.
The party in a statement said “Nana Akufo-Addo and his team were warmly received by the Omanhene and his elders.”
The NPP flagbearer was accompanied by Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, his running mate; Nana Obiri Boahen, NPP deputy General Secretary; Madam Ama Busia and Hackman Owusu Agyeman, both members of the NPP National Council of Elders; Hon. Baffuor Awuah, former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister and MP for Sunyani West; Mr. Peter Mac Manu, 2016 Campaign Manager; and Kwadwo Yeboah Fordjuor, former NPP Regional Chairman.
[contextly_sidebar id=”oCaduc3UrMBBVOtWQz9LREaC0D0VSKd0″]This was after the Sunyani Traditional Council refused to grant him audience and to attend the conference.
There appears to be bad blood between the NPP and the chiefs in the region, following a recent public endorsement of the candidature of President John Mahama for the 2016 elections by the Chief of the Sunyani Traditional Area.
The Sunyani Chief, Nana Bosoma Asor Nkrawiri, confidently stated that the Brong Ahafo Region was going to give Mahama 80 percent of votes in the 2016 elections.
The assertion was considered a blatant breach of Article 276 Clause 1 of the 1992 constitution which states that, “A chief shall not take part in active party politics; and any chief wishing to do so and seeking election to Parliament shall abdicate his stool or skin”.
But the chiefs were rather angered because according to them, the NPP’s Brong Ahafo Regional Chairman made derogatory remarks against them following President Mahama’s endorsement. They therefore demanded an apology from the NPP for the supposed derogatory remarks, but that has not happened yet.
In a statement responding to a request by Nana Addo to pay a courtesy call on them ahead of Saturday’s conference, signed by the Akwamuhene of the Council, Nana Kwaku Sarbeng Ababio II, and addressed to the Brong Ahafo Regional Secretary of the NPP, the Council said it could not receive him.
It is however unclear what may have gone on behind the scenes for Nana Addo to meet the Sunyani Chief who made that particular comment endorsing President Mahama for 2016.
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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AfanyiDadzie