Give Us A Break

The political whirlwind currently blowing in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over who should be the party�s flagbearer for the 2012 presidential elections may be giving some party gurus a cause for concern. But contrary to a call from former General Secretary, Daniel Kwaku Botwe, that party insiders are getting sick and tired of the perceived factions of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen because they are virtually tearing the party apart, Joe Baidoe-Ansah, MP for Effia-Kwesimintim, says, there is no cause for alarm. Hon. Baidoo-Ansah said it is not true that the party needs to learn from the NDC�s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, popularly called General Mosquito, stressing there is �no Mosquito� in NPP. While Mr Botwe, MP for Okere, proposed a total freeze on all forms of campaigning by the two stalwarts ahead of the titanic National Delegates Congress, which is barely one month away, the former Trade and Industry Minister said what is happening is characteristic of all elections. Baring his mind on the ongoing political tempo of the party ahead of the congress, Hon Baidoe-Ansah noted that the disunity people are talking about has not reared its head, stressing that considering the size of the NPP, the few utterances being made are nothing but a storm in a tea cup. �There is no fighting in our party in terms of exchange of blows or words. All what is happening are expressions of views, and not trading of insults. There are more issues about the economy that people should exert their energies in addressing; and not the few utterances in the opposition party,� he said, and expressed optimism that the NPP would have a smooth congress. It would be recalled that while speaking on Joy FM yesterday, Mr. Botwe opined that Alan and Nana have virtually become notorious for creating divisions in the party and insisted that, for as long as the party is yet to elect a presidential candidate, the two should be stopped from holding themselves as flagbearer-in-waiting. �None of them has the authority to even call people to begin to talk about their aspirations for being flagbearers. And once we are able to do all these, if you will excuse my language, the Alan/Nana-Addo nonsense will stop,� he fumed. The Okere MP and one-time Information Minister asked the NPP to take a cue from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), who held a smooth conference because the party leadership stamped its authority. �Just as the NDC did in the selection of their national officers, you know the General Secretary came out strongly and said until they had opened nominations and people had filed, nobody could go about and present himself as a contestant for a national position; and they were able to do that. �And that�s exactly what the NPP should do. Under no circumstance should they allow people who think that in future they may put themselves up as candidates to go about behaving as such,� he said. He said he was dismayed that long after the party lost power due to in-fighting, the same is happening even in opposition. But Baidoe-Ansah said in spite of the so-called directives from Asiedu Nketia, NDC contestants went ahead to flout those directives, parading themselves as aspirants. Both Nana Addo and Alan Kyerematen had been �caught� holding separate meetings with party delegates, and parading themselves as aspirants when they had not filled forms to qualify them as such. Nana at one of his meetings in Kumasi reportedly met some party leaders in the Ashanti regional capital. But Kwabena Agyepong, a staunch Alan supporter, said Nana is worn-out and needs to give way to what he described as a more vivacious and energetic person. Meanwhile, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe has waded into the imbroglio, asking former President Kufuor to use his influence to unite the party. But a former national chairman, Harona Esseku, quickly disagreed, saying that Kufuor�s eyes are �coloured�, alleging the ex-president has taken sides in the fray. The national officers of the party are expected to be elected in four weeks time.