Politics of Tuesday, 23 December 2008

Source: GNA

DFP activists oppose pact with NPP

Accra, Dec. 23, GNA - Hundreds of Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) members in Odododiodoo Constituency in Accra on Tuesday called on Party's Leadership to abrogate its pact with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the December 28 Presidential Election Runoff.

The members led by Mr Charles Nettey, Youth Organiser, appealed to all well-meaning DFP supporters to retrace their roots to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the leaders they followed to form the DFP had failed them.

He said the Leaders, especially Dr Obed Yao Asamoah's decision to throw their weight behind Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate in the runoff, was not in the interest of social democratic principles which the DFP espoused. He said: "It sounds very absurd and smacks of total betrayal, if after campaigning for change of government, we decide to go and back the NPP instead of supporting our political and ideological kinsman Professor John Evans Atta Mills.

"Contrary to our expectations, a few opportunists with self-seeking interest, ganged up as leaders and surrendered to our political rivals," Mr Nettey stated at a press conference in Accra.

Mr Nettey flanked by Mr Prince Allotey, Mr Seth Nii Ayaa Mensah and Mr Emmanuel Botchwey, all leading members of the party at Odododiodio, stated that the entire membership of the DFP should not think that after helping the NPP to win the election, it would make things easy for the party to be revived and strengthened to contest future elections. The DFP activists also called on Nii Okiaja Adamafio, a leading member of DFP, to urgently renounce his position in the party and move back to join the NDC family where they all belonged before the formation of the DFP.

"Nii Adamafio took us to the DFP. We listened to him as an elder statesman in the Constituency; now we have noticed that Dr Asamoah has betrayed our cause, so we are also appealing to him to join us to go back to the NDC, that is our home," Mr Nettey stated.

Mr Nettey also accused the DFP Patron of failing to consult the rank and file of the party before pledging their support for the NPP in the runoff.

"Mortgaging DFP to our political detractors for the lust of political posts is not only a betrayal but also perversion of justice to the cause we embarked on.

"We should all vote massively for Professor Mills, who is a graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah Ideological Institute and a man with a track record to improve the lot of Ghanaians," he said. Responding to questions from newsmen, Mr Mensah said if Leaders, who shouted from roof tops about democracy would not consult the membership on such an important issue affecting the future of the parties, "then we think that we cannot stay and consider them as Leaders".