3 Former ministers throw weight behind Paul Afoko
Three former ministers of state from the northern part of the country have thrown their full support for Mr Paul Afoko’s bid to become the next national chairman of the New Patriotic Party.
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The three, who are all stalwarts of the NPP, are Alhaji Abubakar Boniface Saddique, a former Minister of Manpower, Works and Housing and Northern Region; Dr George Hikah Benson, a former Upper West Regional Minister; and Alhassan Samari, former Upper East Regional Minister.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic in separate interviews at the weekend, the three argued that “when Mr Afoko is elected national chairman of the NPP, it will resurrect the spirit of Dombo within the party and help the party to win the 2016 elections.
According to the three, as a leader of the Northern People’s Party, Dombo played a role within the Danquah, Busia and Dombo tradition which seems to be lost or under-estimated.
The three recalled that at the time the United Party (UP) was formed, the Northern People’s Party was the heart of the UP and had the largest number of legislators among all the seven parties that came together to form the UP. The seven parties that came together were the Northern People’s Party, Muslim Action Movement (ISLAM), Anglo Youth Movement, Trans Volta Congress, National Liberation Movement, Ga Shifemo Kpe, and the Fante Confederacy.
According to the three stalwarts, the three main pillars who emerged out of the tradition were Dombo, from the Northern People’s Party, and JB Danquah and Busia, from the National Liberation Movement.
Alhaji Saddique argues that today, former President Kufuor comes from the Busia tradition while Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo comes from the Danquah tradition, so whoever appears from any party of the North will represent Dombo.
“So I trust that Mr Afoko has come at the right time to enhance the electoral fortunes of the New Patriotic Party,” he opined.
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He said the NPP needed political power but pointed out that since power had no emotions, no blood and no sympathy, delegates of the party must make the right choice in electing Mr Afoko national chairman to gain power for the NPP.
He said with the slightest mistake, the NPP would have to wait for another four years to make amends.
Mr Samari insisted that closely related to that was the way the NPP had been branded as an Akan party so Mr Afoko had come in to dispel that perception.
“For some of us we believe that the way we behave as a national party will feed into the propaganda machine of our opponents.
“It is time we moved away from the way the NPP elected leaders of the party, which appears to be either Danquah or Busia,” Mr Samari said .
According to him, “we are bringing in Paul Afoko not just because he is a northerner but has the competence to lead the party; we also know that he is a true party member”.
He said at the time Mr Afoko was not vying for the party chairmanship he had been very supportive of the party at all times and that he was the right person who could do the job for the party.
Dr Benson pointed out that 2016 would not be an easy task, hence the party needed a chairman with a strong personality who would not cave in during tough times.
He said that Mr Afoko had a warm heart to accommodate any calibre of persons, firm, visionary and knew where he was taking the party as captured in his New Plan for Power which was for the NPP to unite, restructure, repackage, rebrand and rejuvenate for victory in 2016.
According to Dr Benson, the aspiring National Chairman of the NPP is a dynamic person who is hungry for victory to lead the party back to power.
He said that the NPP had two choices: opposition and power, and therefore reminded delegates of the party, if they wanted political power, then Paul Afoko was the one to lead the party.
“We should not choose somebody out of sympathy who cannot deliver the electoral victory for the NPP,” Dr Benson stated; saying “we need a strategist, courageous and charismatic leader in the person of Mr Afoko to lead us to victory.”
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He said that the decision by the National Council to hold the NPP delegates conference in Tamale in the Northern Region, coupled with the election of Mr Afoko as party chairman, would help the party to renew itself spiritually to win the battle of Election 2016
Mr Paul Afoko is contesting incumbent Chairman Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, first Vice Chairman Fred Oware and two-time failed Chairman Aspirant Stephen Ntim.
But after vetting aspirants for the national chairmanship slot last Thursday, that of Mr Afoko had been put on hold until further notice.
Therefore, balloting by contestants for the National Chairman Position also remains on hold until further notice.
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According to a signed statement from the National Election Vetting Committee, there will be balloting for positions for qualified aspirants seeking to occupy National Executive Positions of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the Party headquarters at a later date to be announced soon.
However, according to the Committee, Fred Kwaku Amankwa Sarfo, Philomena Serwaa Akoto Sam, Hajia Fati Amadu all contesting for the Vice Chairperson slot, Kamal – deen Abdullai-National Nasara Coordinator and
Charles Adu Gyamfi-National Youth Organiser were not successful due to their inability to exhibit enough knowledge of the party which high office they are seeking to occupy.
They may appeal to the National Election Appeals Committee latest by 4pm on Monday February 17, 2014 if they wish to do so.
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