The Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Obiri Boahene, has stated that the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, is being guided by history and as a result has issued some warning with regards to early campaigning in the party.
Speaking on the directive by the President that interested Presidential aspirants should resign from their ministerial positions to chase their Presidential aspirations, he disclosed that the previous unpleasant happenings in 2008 which saw 17 Presidential aspirants is what the President is trying to prevent.
“The President has a long standing history of this our tradition and all of us are haunted by what happened in 2007 and 2008. So I think the President is being guided by history and that explains why he has signed a cheque of warning to his ministers that those who are interested and are going out to campaign have the liberty to leave their ministerial position”.
Obiri Boahene
Commenting on why some aspirants are looking on for the campaigns to be done, he posited that they are human beings and their nature sometimes goes contrary to directives.
“So it’s a very delicate issue and I think the President has said it all that if you are interested in running a campaign for a presidential slot, you can leave the ministerial position”.
Obiri Boahene
Obiri Boahene stated that the party has also reechoed the same position that it will not entertain people who will be putting on sign posts and signage. He explained that if such is done, it will be in contravention with the party’s constitution.
Campaigners’ actions influenced
Touching on the recalcitrant nature of campaigners, Obiri Boahene averred that their actions are sometimes influenced by the aspirants and as such they need to be reminded of the party’s constitution and the President’s directive.
In dealing with the problem of unauthorized campaigns, he stated that the party has already indicated it is against it and urged the supporters of these Presidential aspirants to desist from such activities.
“The Director of communication has already spelt it out that if you go wayward, these are [the] sanctions we are going to give out to you. That should advise and warn their supporters not to go against the directives of the party”.
Obiri Boahene
President on early campaign
President Akufo-Addo has warned ministers in his government aspiring to succeed him to “focus on the job“” he has given them, “or quit now to pursue” their Presidential ambitions.
President Akufo-Addo reminded aspirants in his government that not even the 17 NPP candidates who contested for the 2008 presidential slot, including 13 who were members of the government in 2005, were seen to be campaigning actively in the first year of the second government led by John Agyekum Kufuor.
The President criticized the premature moves by the handful of hopefuls in his government, saying it is effectively selfish and irresponsible for aspirants to allow their ambition to get in the way of their ministerial duties within the first year of a sitting President’s second and final term.
