News:
May 29, 2014
Member of Parliament for Ablekuma North, Justice Joe Appiah has cautioned New Patriotic Party (NPP) youth affiliated to certain flag bearer aspirants in the party to desist from issuing disparaging comments against each other.
According to him, such acts have the potential of deepening the rift among the Alan/Nana Akufo Addo faction that characterized the party’s last two previous presidential primaries; a development he said would spell doom for the party’s electoral fortunes in the 2016 elections.
The MP’s advice follows the springing up onto the political scene of splinter groups affiliated to flag bearer aspirants marketing their preferred candidates and, in the process, uttering comments that are vitriolic against other aspirants as the party prepares for its impending Presidential primaries slated for December this year.
The General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr Kwabena Agyepong, has said emerging splinter groups in the party are alien to it and the party does not recognize any group except those recognized by the party’s constitution.
“We want to make it clear that all the so-called emerging groups are alien to the dictates of the party, and for that matter, the party abhors such recent development,” he declared.
Speaking to Ghanamps.gov.gh, Hon. Joe Appiah reiterated the need for the largest opposition party to remain united and present a formidable party at the polls to salvage Ghanaians from the current economic hardship which is as a result of poor management by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
“Ghanaians are crying for the return of the NPP to deliver them from the mess that the incompetent NDC government has plunged them, and we cannot obviously win power with a fragmented party, we need to be united” he said.
He warned that the NPP will be at the receiving end of the trading of vitriolic comments as the ruling NDC is likely to use those accusations and words against them during the 2016 electioneering campaign which could affect the chances of the party.
On a separate development, the MP called on the Electoral Commission to convene an Inter-party Advisory Committee (IPAC) with all the political parties in attendance as soon as possible to deliberate on the upcoming limited registration exercise of person of 18 years and above.
The EC has announced that it intends to open registration in June for prospective new voters, an announcement that has been met with mixed reaction from some of the political parties and a section of the public.
Hon. Joe Appiah was of the view that the EC should rather concentrate on cleaning the bloated voters register as was evident in the 2012 election petition case at the Supreme Court.
“The Supreme Court asked the EC to clean the register, nine months after the declaration nothing has been heard from the EC, they must be up and doing” he added.
Ghanamps.gov.gh