In September 2013, Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, stated that the then opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) needed a surgical operation before they could survive.

The outspoken Member of Parliament made these comments due to the factions that existed in the New Patriotic Party between the two flagbearer contenders, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen when the party was in opposition.

The NPP firebrand in an interview with OKAY FM disclosed that there was a huge gap that needed to be bridged within the party before incessant calls on Nana Akufo-Addo to lead the party in 2016 should have been made.

Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is now the President of the republic while his then-rival for the NPP flagbearer ship, Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, is the Minister of Trade and Industry.

Read the full story originally published on August 26, 2018 on GhanaWeb

If there is any political party out there that urgently needs a surgical operation to survive, then the attention must be on the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Hon. Kennedy Agyapong, Member of Parliament for Assin Central, has revealed the NPP is sick and calls on Nana Akufo-Addo to lead the party makes their condition even worse.

The NPP firebrand in an interview with OKAY FM disclosed that there is a huge gap that needs to be bridged within the party before incessant calls on Nana Akufo-Addo to lead the party in 2016 should even be made.

Over the past weeks, news about who leads the NPP in 2016 has been rekindled. Certain key players in the party have called on their 2012 presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, to once again lead the party despite his post-verdict (election petition) comments that he would like to take a back seat and reflect on his political life.

But irrespective of that statement, some still insist he becomes the 2016 flagbearer.

But Hon. Kennedy Agyapong believes the campaign to get Nana Akufo-Addo back this early is “disgusting”.

He explains there is an imperative issue that needs to be solved before jumping the gun to select a leader for 2016.

"The issue of faction is killing the NPP, he says. Before that problem is solved, there is no way the party can make progress," Mr. Agyapong noted.

“If you are to hear people in Nana’s camp talk about Mr. Alan Kyerematen, you would have pity on the latter and this is also the same when you hear Alan’s camp talk about Nana Addo,” he said.

He warned that until the petty internal wrangling is halted and the sabotage attempts by blocs in the party quelled, the NPP will make no meaningful progress in future elections.