I will no longer contest NPP post — Balado Manu

The former New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ahafo Ano South, Mr Stephen Balado Manu, has bowed out of the General Secretary contest of the party.

He told the Daily Graphic that “after wide and broad consultations, both internally and externally, I have now come to a  firm conclusion to shelve the idea of contesting the general secretaryship of my party.”

According to Mr Baladu Manu, he was doing so in the supreme interest of the party and in his own personal interest.

He had earlier declared his intention to contest the general secretaryship in an interview with the Daily Graphic at Akosombo, but in a telephone interview, he told the paper yesterday that “I will not contest the seat any more.”

Asked whether he would throw his weight behind any of the contestants,  Mr Balado Manu had this to say: “I stood for unity during my campaign, and if I pledge my support to any of the contestants,  I will have shown bias and rendered my vote not secret.”

On his impressions on preparation towards the NPP elections, he declared, “so far, a lot of running water has taken its level and we are not hearing much about irregularities as it was when the process started, and I wish all the contestants the best of luck as they prepare for the elections.”

The General Secretary of the party, Mr Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, Mr Kwabena Agyapong, Mr Yaw Buabeng Asamoah and Capt. Nkrabea Effa Darteh have all made public their intentions to contest the position during the March 1, 2014 NPP congress.