A former flagbearer aspirant, Dr Arthur Kennedy, of the New Patriotic Party, has said the decision to sideline party stalwarts including Gladys Asmah (late), in favour of defector Maame Dokono, to speak at the NPP’s Cape Coast rally in 2008 ahead of that year’s general elections, did damage to their chances of victory.

In a rejoinder titled “Boakye Agyarko misfires again,” in which he punched holes into the party’s 2012 campaign manager’s rebuttal of claims by flagbearer aspirant, Alan Kyeremanten that he (Alan) was sidelined from the 2012 campaign of their presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo, to whom he (Alan) lost the slot, Dr Arthur Kennedy said the fate suffered by Kyeremanten was reminiscent of similar misfortune that befell no mean persons like former President John Kufuor and the Late Gladys Asmah, in the past.

Kennedy wrote in part that: “Indeed, Mr. Agyarko’s claims [that Alan Kyeremanten was not sidelined] are further undermined by the fact that in 2008, even the sitting President, President Kufuor felt he was being sidelined. As he [Kufuor] pointedly wrote to tell me [Kennedy, then Director of Akufo-Addo’s 2008 Campaign], ‘The decision not to contest Tein was made by the candidate without my input and knowledge.”

He added: “Indeed, Boakye’s confirmation that Alan was not allowed to speak at Mantse Agbona is itself evidence that he was being sidelined. It was an unfortunate echo of the day in Cape Coast in 2008 when with Gladys Asmah and a few other stalwarts available, “Maame Dokono” was asked to speak with disastrous consequences for our campaign.”

Actress Grace Omaboe, known more by her alias “Maame Dokono” ditched the National Democratic Congress (then in opposition) to join the incumbent New Patriotic Party. She endorsed Akufo-Addo’s candidature and went round with the team on their campaign tours. She pulled no punches at taking her former allies–the Rawlingses, former first couple–to the cleaners anytime she had the chance to speak during those campaigns.

The veteran actress once contested the parliamentary primaries of the NPP but lost. Her first attempt at becoming a Member of Parliament was in 2000 when she contested the Birim North seat as the NDC’s parliamentary candidate, but lost to Dr William Akoto.