Kennedy Agyapong contradicts campaign team on "showdown" comment
Mr. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, a prominent figure in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and a hopeful for the party's flagbearer position, has provided further context to his widely discussed "showdown" comment made during the Special Delegates Conference on Saturday.
A viral video captured his strong reaction, which has been a topic of speculation and interpretation.
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Taking to Twitter, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central justified his reaction by emphasizing that it was a response to perceived injustice that posed a threat to the safety of his polling station agent in the North East region. He tweeted, "I reacted against injustice and that saved the life of GANIU one of my polling station agents in North East. #ShowDown."
I reacted against injustice and that saved the life of GANIU one of my polling station agents in North East.#ShowDown pic.twitter.com/9SO1hweWw8
— Hon. Ken Ohene Agyapong (@honkenagy) August 29, 2023
This clarification comes in the wake of Agyapong's extended discussion with the NPP's elections committee regarding concerns that arose during the special delegates conference.
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Mr. Alhassan Abdul Ganiyu, the agent in question, echoed Agyapong's sentiment. Ganiyu asserted that his boss's apparent outburst during the conference was instrumental in safeguarding not only his own life but also the lives of two other agents. Ganiyu detailed an intense encounter where financial incentives were proposed, but he and his fellow agents declined. According to him, the regional chairman's reaction escalated the situation to the point where they felt threatened and trapped.
“The regional chairman said they will give us some amount of money, GH¢2000 and we said no we are not there for money. He insisted that he would increase the money by GH¢1000 and we said no, we are not going to go by any amount," Mr. Ganiyu said at a press conference.
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“Whatever amount you are going to give to us, we are not ready for it. Then after we told him we were leaving, myself, Alan’s agent and Kwadwo Poku’s agent, we said we were leaving, he ran and locked the door…telling us to better go and sign.”
“He told us if we happen to move out he would allow the boys to attack us. And we said he should allow us to go so that the boys attack us on the way. So upon hearing the reportage, Honourable Kennedy quickly responded to what had transpired, they began to slow down the strategies and the pressure they were mounting on us. Then they all started moving out and we also had our way to move out,” he explained.
Ganiyu's account of the events contradicts an earlier explanation put forth by Mr. Agyapong's campaign team. On Monday, the team stated that his "showdown" remark was not a threat to the President and Vice President, as interpreted by some, but rather a declaration of his intention to secure victory in the forthcoming November 4 polls.
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In the midst of these differing narratives, Mr. Alexander Afenyo Markin, the Spokesperson of the NPP's Elections Committee, confirmed that they had engaged in positive discussions with Agyapong regarding the viral "showdown" comment. Mr. Afenyo Markin revealed that the committee would convene again on Thursday to conclude their deliberations.