A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, has reminded people in the northern sector of the country that the election of Mr Paul Afoko as the Chairman of the NPP is a clear signal that it is time for them to take back the party they formed and vote massively for it in the 2016 elections.
He explained that Mr Afoko, who hails from the Upper East Region, might not be the magic wand for increasing the party’s votes in the northern part of Ghana but his election signalled that “we are handing over the party to our brothers and sisters in the north.”
He told to the Daily Graphic recently that it was clear Mr Afoko had won the chairmanship, and noted that “those of us in the south will support our brothers from the north this time. We are telling them that they should not leave the NPP to the southerners alone.”
Dr Apraku also gave clear indications that he would contest the party’s presidential primaries and said in the 1958 elections, the northern territories voted more for the antecedent of the NPP, the Northern People’s Party, than those in the southern part of Ghana.
Four regions for NDC
He said it was incumbent on the NPP to take effective measures to make inroads in the north because the National Democratic Congress (NDC) always took a comfortable lead in the three regions during elections, in addition to the Volta Region.
Dr Apraku argued that apart from the four regions that always voted massively for the NDC, 80 per cent of the voters in Zongos were also a sure bet for the NDC.
Dwindling votes in Ashanti/Brong Ahafo
Quoting some statistics to support his argument, Dr Apraku said during the period of former President J A Kufuor, the NPP was assured of 80 per cent and 60. 3 per cent votes cast in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions respectively.
However, those fortunes had dwindled to 70.69 per cent in the Ashanti Region and 56 per cent in the Brong Ahafo Region, a situation which requires that the party evolve new strategies to make inroads into different territories to maximise its electoral fortunes.
Trust delegates
Dr Apraku, who contested the 2007 NPP presidential primaries, said he trusted the new leadership to allow and respect the judgement of the delegates to vote for the presidential aspirant of their choice.
Source: Graphic Online