Spokesperson for Alan Kyeremanten, a flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is alleging that there is a grand scheme within the party to get him to bow out of the race.<\/p>\n
Nana Ohene Ntow is of the firm belief that the rank and file of the party are scheming to pave way for two-time presidential candidate of the party, Nana Akufo-Addo to represent the NPP in 2016 unopposed.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis looks like some kind of a scheme to put pressure on Alan\u2026even before Sunday\u2019s congress, there have been a lot of pressure on Alan not to run, not to contest and after the Sunday election, they want him to step down\u2026,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Ohene Ntow\u2019s claims follow a visit to Kyeremanten\u2019s campaign office by the National Organizer of the NPP, John Boadu and some other regional organizers.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”nFizVarxR2GTncE204UUWkJGoQjieuHI”]According to Mr. Ntow, Boadu and his team \u201cwanted to discuss the possibility of all the other candidates who remain in the race to present one candidate in which case there should not be any primary election.\u201d<\/p>\n
They also proposed that all aspirants must make the rest of the campaigning more decorous; devoid of attacks.<\/p>\n
But they were reportedly unable to state the strategic basis of the proposal and which candidate the group had in mind.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were not able to indicate which candidate they had in mind should there be a consensus for one candidate to run,\u201d Ntow said, adding that “they were not able to put it across and they were not also able to provide any details as to what kind of procedure or modalities should be followed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kyeremanten\u2019s spokesperson on Citi Prime News<\/strong> disclosed that soon after Boadu and his team left, reports reached them that the National Women\u2019s Organizer, Otiko Afisa Djaba was planning a similar visit.<\/p>\n He said that \u201cwe had information that the National Women Organizer is also initiating a similar process where all the regional Women Organizers will come together to employ emotional tactics and use whatever emotional methods to push Alan to accept to step down.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2026so if you put all of these things together, it looks like some grand scheme,\u201d he insisted.<\/p>\n Ntow consequently admonished the leadership of the party or any other individual instigating the said grand scheme \u201cnot to do anything to disenfranchise party delegates who are also looking forward to participate in the process of selecting a candidate.”<\/p>\n No grand scheme<\/strong><\/p>\n In response, the \u00a0National Organizer of the NPP\u00a0John Boadu has vehemently denied that his visit was only aimed at getting Kyeremanten to back out of the flagbearership race of the NPP.<\/p>\n According to him, they visited the other shortlisted candidates to primarily commend them for Sunday\u2019s peaceful super delegates\u2019 congress.<\/p>\n He said all the organizers of the party always work to ensure there is peace within the party when major party events are to take place.<\/p>\n As a result, they visited the remaining aspirants \u201cto plead and wish that the vitriolic and sometimes, some of the allegations against each other will come down for us to have a unified and a cohesive party after the 18th.”<\/p>\n Background<\/strong><\/p>\n The party is scheduled to vote for a presidential candidate to lead them into the 2106 general elections on October 18, 2014.<\/p>\n However, a super delegates\u2019 congress was organized last Sunday to prune down the number of flagbearer aspirants from seven to five as stated in the party\u2019s constitution.<\/p>\n Nana Akufo-Addo won the elections<\/strong><\/span><\/a> by polling 81% of the total valid votes cast.<\/p>\n His overwhelming victory gave rise to calls for the leadership of the party to cancel the final congress to allow Nana Addo lead the party unopposed.<\/p>\n There have since been calls by major personalities and blocks within the party for the other four candidates to bow out.<\/p>\n Joe Ghartey<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, one of the shortlisted five aspirants pulled out of the contest on Monday.<\/p>\n Another contestant, Francis Addai Nimo<\/strong><\/span><\/a> has said he would consult with his campaign team to determine whether he will take part in the final congress.<\/p>\n Kyeremanten, who is considered the closest contender to Nana Addo only managed 8.01% of the total valid votes cast.<\/p>\n But he has made his intentions clear that he will partake in the final contest.<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Although the party leadership has served notice that the October 18 congress will take place as planned<\/strong><\/span><\/a>, some party members seem to be convinced that Nana Addo must go unopposed.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n By: Efua Idan Osam\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana
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