A political science lecturer, Aminu Dramani has said the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) should have prevented some of the presidential candidate aspirants from contesting if they deemed their participation as a waste of time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they knew they were not viable to contest, they should not have allowed them in the first place,\u201d he opined.<\/p>\n
A leading member of the NPP, Kobina Tahir Hammond told Citi News four out of the seven aspirants vying for the position of a flagbearer will lose the party\u2019s election abysmally.<\/p>\n
He mentioned Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Kofi Osei Ameyaw, Francis Addai Nimoh and Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku as persons who do not \u2018qualify\u2019 to lead the NPP but are just \u201cwasting everybody\u2019s time.\u201d<\/p>\n
He suggested that the monies used in campaigning and paying for their filing fees should have been used to support the party\u2019s quest at winning power in 2016.<\/p>\n
Speaking on Eyewitness News, Dramani said the four men should be allowed to contest because they satisfied the preliminary conditions set out for aspirants.<\/p>\n
He\u00a0stated that\u00a0the delegates\u00a0are the ones responsible for choosing who deem fit to lead the party.<\/p>\n
The political science lecturer described as \u201cdangerous\u201d if leading members or groups within the party \u201cbegin to pull strings either covertly or overtly to cause others not to contest.\u201d<\/p>\n
This, he said will create \u201cbitter hearts\u201d which will deepen existing cracks within the NPP.<\/p>\n
Dramani quickly pointed out that it will not be out of place if the party leadership together with the aspirants agree to back one candidate to represent the party in 2016.<\/p>\n
He said it is not right for a leading member of the party to make such public statements about aspirants who have shown the interest to lead the party.<\/p>\n
\u201cOnce the person goes through the necessary procedures and the person qualifies to contest, it is up to this individual to decide whether I will continue to contest or not and as to the number of votes I get, that should be your business,\u201d he remarked.<\/p>\n
Seven aspirants; Nana Akufo-Addo, Alan Kyeremanten, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Kofi Osei Ameyaw, Francis Addai Nimoh, Stephen Asamoah-Boateng and Joe Ghartey\u00a0 are contesting the flagbearership position of the NPP.<\/p>\n
The number will however be pruned to five through a super delegates conference as stipulated in the constitution of the party.<\/p>\n
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By: Efua Idan Osam\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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