The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ekwow Spio- Garbrah, has denied claims that he is warming up to contest for the presidential slot of the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) during the party’s primaries.
A group calling itself Friends of Spio-Garbrah have flooded social media sites with campaign posters of Mr. Spio-Garbrah.
[contextly_sidebar id=”XCFVMzWaaDqf2DuDtdlXz18tHBptxLE9″]The posters indicate the minister’s intentions to contest president John Mahama in the NDC’s primaries.
The group in a press statement criticized the timelines for the NDC’s parliamentary and presidential primaries stating that “Opening nominations on the same date and conducting of both parliamentary and presidential primaries on the same date is a clear conspiracy on the part of the party’s national executives to stop any interested member from contesting His Excellency John Dramani Mahama. We are totally against this wicked plan against Dr. Spio-Garbrah.”
But a counter statement from Ekow Spio Garbrah stated: “In as much as I had initially resolved not to dignify such frivolous claims with a comment, I wish to in the supreme interest of the NDC, government and peace loving Ghanaians assert my position that, never have I any knowledge of any ‘supposed’ Friends of Spio Garbrah which are claiming to do bidding for my candidacy. Besides, I have on countless platforms maintained that, I do not have any interest in contesting the party’s presidential primaries for 2016 and declared my unwavering support to His Excellency the President for 2016 and beyond.”
The minister further noted that the said posters circulating on social media was the one he used when he contested for the NDC’s Vice-Chairmanship position in 2009 saying it “has also been mischievously edited or altered as a draft poster for 2016 which the group plan to circulate to support their claim.”
“I wish to assure the faithful members and sympathizers of the NDC that under no circumstances should we allow anyone to seek to compromise the unity and togetherness that we have as one family. I have always expressed my view that, in the interest of party and government, no person(s) should have interest in contesting His Excellency John Dramani Mahama at the party primaries. This is to ensure party unity and harmony as we prepare ourselves for the 2016 parliamentary and Presidential elections,” he added.
Ekow Spio-Garbrah has further threatened to report the matter to the Police for investigations.
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana