New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has slammed the leadership of the party for failing to get a grip of happenings in the race to choose the party’s presidential candidate for 2024 elections.
Speaking in a JoyNews interview, Dr Afriyie Akoto, a former Minister of Food and Agriculture, accused the party’s leadership of being partial in dealing with persons flouting the roles of the party; adding that the happenings in the campaign for the primaries tells that there is no discipline in the NPP.
He said that while top officials of the party and the government are declaring their support for a certain contender without consequences, persons declaring their support for him and the other candidates are being punished.
He alleged the contractors who are declaring their support for some of the candidates in the race are being denied payment.
“There is some sort of force being used – intimidation… those contractors who do not seem to be for this candidate are not paid when they complete their jobs. And they have taken huge sums of money from the banks and the interest rates are 35%, 40%. They are not paid and are being punished for supporting someone else.”
“But if somebody has done a job or a contract with the government, and they are not paid, while are those who declare for that particular candidate are paid,” he said.
10 people would be contesting in the NPP presidential primaries which are slated for August and November 2023.
A super delegate conference would be held on August 26, 2023, to reduce the number of contenders to five while the main primaries would be held on November 4, 2023, to choose the party’s presidential candidate for the 2024 elections.
The ten candidates include Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia; a former Trade Minister, Alan Kyerematen; Kwadwo Poku, an energy expert; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Joe Ghartey; a former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto; a former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong; MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong; a former MP for Offinso North, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku; and a former Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko.
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Former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto