Former President, John Agyekum Kufour, has described as ‘undemocratic’ the decision by the party’s hierarchy to disqualify some aspirants from the party’s upcoming parliamentary primaries for where there are sitting Members of Parliament (MPs).
Mr Kufuor, who led his party to victory in the 2000 presidential and parliamentary elections, according to a deep throat source at the office of the former Ghanaian leader was not happy that the party could choose that path at this crucial time.
Mr Kufuor, our source also said was equally not happy the NPP executives, perceived to be loyalists of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had abandoned the principles of the party, which was formed on the respect for rule of law, describing the situation further as alien to the party.
The soft-spoken but tough former Ghanaian leader, the source said, could not understand why some people should be disqualified, describing the reasons for disqualifying some aspirants as “baseless”.
“If the situation is not checked, it will affect the party’s electoral fortunes in the December 7, 2020 poll”, Mr Kufuor was purported to have said this when some members of the NPP recently visited him in his Airport residence.
He, therefore, according to another source who was among the visitors called on the leadership of the party to put their feet down and ensure a level playing field for all aspirants.
Mr Kufuor’s concern this Reporter learnt comes at the back of some disqualified NPP aspirants who believe the party executives have not been unfair to them, alleging that their disqualification “ is because they are perceived to be Kufuor’s loyalists.
Former President Kufuor , our source said , pointed out that the NPP was a legal entity with a constitution which should be obeyed by any well-meaning member of the party.
“The NPP is a democratic party and the power resides with the people. It is the people who decide who becomes MP or otherwise. The party does not belong to any individual,” one NPP stalwart was reported to have said.
At least 65 parliamentary aspirants are set to go unopposed in the party’s primaries.
That represents 39% of the 168 constituencies where primaries are scheduled for Saturday, June 20, 2020.
The unopposed candidates are mainly within the Ashanti and Eastern regions, the strongholds of the party.
The Ashanti Region has 16 contestants who will contest unchallenged while the Eastern has 12. Greater Accra – 7; Ahafo – 2; Bono – 4; Bono East – 2; Central – 7; North East – 0; Northern- 3; Oti-1; Savanna-1; Upper East-1; Upper West-1; Western- 6; and Western North – 2.
A total of 42 of the unopposed aspirants are ministers and deputy ministers. One aspirant is a non-MP, and four of the NPP’s leadership in parliament are sole contestants. The rest are sitting MPs.
Story: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
