Appiah Stadium Quits NPP

An ardent supporter and influential member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Frank Appiah, known in public life as Appiah Stadium, has gone public, denouncing his relationship with his once beloved party. It is believed that his departure from the NPP bothers on the silent feud existing between the party�s 2012 flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo camp, and that of the failed contender, Alan Kyeremanteng. �I was an NPP member but stopped party politics after I was attacked by an assailant and my car was burnt to ashes in the Kumasi metropolis. �After I survived the attack, I decided not to do politics again because during that trying moment, I did not get anyone coming to my aid. �As am talking to you now I have my NPP membership card with me, but I am not an NPP member anymore�, he said. Appiah Stadium, who publicly campaigned against the election of Nana Akufo Addo as flagbearer of the NPP, opting for Alan Kyeremanteng, decried the attitude of some supporters of NPP, who describe him as someone who is now in bed with the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). Appiah Stadium, who said he had his party card since the days of former NPP presidential candidate, the late Prof Albert Adu Boahen, said he does not support any party presently. During ex-President John Kufuor�s regime, Appiah Stadium was always on the airwaves defending the NPP and lambasting the then opposition NDC from one issue to the other. He was heard many times referring to ex-President Rawlings as a dead man, and is famously remembered as regularly phoning into Joy FM, and calling the then host, Komla Dumoh, a fool. He was once heard boasting on radio that he was behind the sacking of, Dan K. Botwe, as Minister of Information, over his refusal to defend the Kufuor family when the Hotel Kufuor acquisition saga was raging on. But speaking on Asempa Fm last Friday, he cited an example where he alleged that a lady went on radio saying that he, (Appiah Stadium) was no longer a member of the NPP. He said he expected his colleagues in the NPP to condemn her behavior, but no one came to his aid. He said this together with other incidents made him review his love for the NPP. Although he said he has friends such as Presidential Aide, Nii Lante Vanderpujie, Director of Communications, Koku Ayidoho and the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly boss, Samuel Sarpong within the NDC, he has resolved not to follow any political party because they are all the same. Appiah Stadium who supported the Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng (Alan cash) camp during the NPP primaries indicated strongly that he would not campaign or vote for NPP Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as he did for former President Kufour, come the 2012 elections. It appears the harsh criticism he was receiving from the NPP was coming from supporters of Nana Akufo-Addo, since he has never supported him because he does not believe in him like his mentor, Alan Kyeremanteng, alias Alan Cash. When he was pushed to the wall by the host of the programme Nana Kwabena Bobie Ansah, that he had defected to the NDC, he said it was not true because even if he did the NDC would not admit him into their fold. He, however, said that he would vote for President John Evan Atta Mills if he is able to construct the Accra-Kumasi road. Wading into the current impasse between ex-President Rawlings and President Mills, Mr. Appiah urged the feuding factions to resolve their differences before the 2012 election. He said if the government fails to amend the cracks within the party it will go against them since the former president carries majority of the grassroot supporters.