News:
April 18, 2014
New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Obuasi East, Edward Ennin is calling on the party’s 2012 presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo to call his aide, Mustapha Hamid, to order.
According to him, Mustapha Hamid’s suggestion to flagbearer aspirant, Alan Kyerematen to go independent if he [Alan] believes he is more appealing to the electorate could be inimical to the party’s chances of winning the 2016 general elections.
Alan Kyerematen in an interview on Metro TV justified his decision to contest the flagbearership position for the third time, arguing it was time for a change.
He said though many in the party have endorsed the candidature of Nana Akufo-Addo, his popularity may not necessarily win them power.
But in a riposte, Mustapha Hamid said “people who are saying they are popular in the whole country but are not popular within the party don’t need the NPP machine; in that sense let Alan Kyeremateng, maybe, try and run as an independent candidate, because the constitution allows him to run. He doesn’t necessarily has to run on a ticket”.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Thursday, the Obuasi East MP described as unfortunate the ‘divisive’ comments by Mustapha Hamid.
He said such comments by people close to Nana Akufo-Addo has the tendency to fuel perceptions about division in the party as it gears up for its flagbearership race later this year.
“The greatest threat to the party’s electoral fortunes currently is not their political opponents but rather the utterances and conduct of Mustapha Hamid,” Ennin stressed.
The Obuasi East MP called on Nana Akufo-Addo to as a matter of urgency distance himself from Mustapha’s comments to avert any animosity from the ‘Alan Kyerematen camp’.
He feared Hamid’s comments could make the party to lose votes from floating voters and level-headed middle class persons in the country if he should continue with such a behaviour.
Edward Ennin said the NPP as a government in waiting must demonstrate a sense of purpose and leadership to win the hearts of the electorate and not to use derogatory language on the airwaves to push people away from the party.