…Accused of being compromised

A coterie of political hangers-on of the 2016 flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Abotarehene Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, are once again stirring the hornet’s nest with a crusade to replace some members of the Minority leadership in Parliament, just under two years of being in office, citing lack of commitment on the political struggle against the Mahama administration.

While many political pundits believed the infighting tearing apart the main opposition party ahead of their contest to elect a flag bearer for the 2016 elections will be a thing of the past after a leader has emerged, The aL-hAJJ can confirm that is far from the reality. This paper can confirm that, there is a serious plot within the opposition hardliners to kick out the Minority leader, Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu and his deputy, Dominic Nitiwul for what they refer as lackadaisical attitude towards putting the Mahama administration on its toes.

Reports reaching this paper indicate that Nana Akufo Addo, the twice defeated presidential candidate and his close associates are disappointed in the work of the party’s Members of Parliament, particularly, Minority leader Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu and his deputy, Dominic Nitiwul as a result they want the pair to be replaced.

Although party insiders have disclosed to The aL-hAJJ that Nana Akufo-Addo and his men are highly convinced Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu and Dominic Nitiwul may have been compromised by the ruling NDC government, other sources close to Nana Addo’s camp say, the Minority leader’s recent outburst in a leaked tape castigating the 2012 campaign strategy of Nana Akufo-Addo which lead to party’s excruciating defeat has irked the former Foreign Affairs Minister in the Kufuor administration and his linchpins so much that, they want him removed.

Mr Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu was recently caught on tape saying “…Akufo-Addo sleeps in a private residence anytime he visits Kumasi. Apart from some people who cook for him, most of the rest follow him because of other interests when it comes to the Ashanti Region. His coterie of followers who go to sleep at the Golden Tulip Hotel; You know how much they were spending? The cost to be paid by the campaign team was USD90, 000. If we had given this money to some two constituencies, they would have won for us….We will not allow you to do that because in my view now we don’t have money for campaign.

“Then somebody goes to import bicycles, motor bicycles and vuvuzelas. What are we using vuvuzelas for? Do you know how much vuvuzelas cost? Some people take advantage to import vuvuzelas! The vuvuzelas alone cost $1.5 million." Reports are that Nana Akufo-Addo’s men have since vowed to pay back the Suame MP and his deputy by leading a crusade to get them replaced by minority MPs loyal to the 2016 flag bearer’s vision. Leading the pact to get the two senior legislators of the NPP replaced is Nana Akufo Addo’s cousin, Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, who recently launched a scathing attack on the Minority in Parliament, describing them as “lazy.”

Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, who is regarded as Nana Akufo-Addo’s most trusted lieutenant and chief spin doctor, stated that the NPP MPs have given NDC a field day and have failed to harshly criticize the ruling party. But in a sharp riposte, MP for Bimbila and deputy Minority Leader, Dominic Nitiwul, said he felt scandalized and disappointed by the position stated by Gabby and said such unguarded statements will rather hurt Akufo Addo’s chance in the upcoming elections.

The deputy Minority Leader went on to enumerate instances that the opposition has responded seriously to government actions. The possible replacers of the Minority leader and his deputy, The aL-hAJJ has gathered, are former majority leader and MP for Sekondi, Paapa Owusu Ankomah and deputy Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee and MP for Abuakwa South, Samuel Atta Kyea. But some hardliners around Nana Akufo-Addo are said to have kicked against the candidature of Paapa Owusu Ankomah on the basis of regional balance, saying “the second deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joe Ghartey, is from the Western region, therefore it will be wrong to appoint another person from the same region as minority leader.”

Intelligence gathered by this paper indicates that, the latest tension in the party is also being heightened by Nana Akufo-Addo’s rejection of some party activists appointed by the National Executive of NPP to hold deputy positions. The National Youth Organizer of NPP, Sammy Awuku, told Accra base Montie Fm, last week, that Nana Addo instructed the leadership of the party to drop the appointment of a known activist of Alan Kyeremanten, Micheal Ampong, as deputy Communication Director.

Just as Nana Akufo-Addo was alleged to have instructed delegates to vote against certain candidates because he cannot work with them in the run-up to the Tamale congress of the NPP, Sammy Awuku revealed that he (Nana Akufo-Addo) said he cannot work with Micheal Ampong. Meanwhile, sources in the party say Nana Akufo-Addo also kicked against the appointment of some other persons including former President Kufuor’s trusted ally in the Volta Region, Kenwood Nuworsu, Prince Donyina, former Techiman MCE and one Pius as deputy General Secretary and deputy Communication Directors respectively.