General News of Monday, 13 May 2013

Source: The Herald

NPP throws out Nyaho-Tamakloe

A member of the NPP’s Communication team, and Special Assistant to National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey has described Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, a founding member of the party, as a “liability to the image of the party” and his actions are inimical to the party’s fortunes.

In the view of Asamoah Gyamfi, the retired medical Doctor and former diplomat’s “disposition”, and actions have over the years negatively affected the party’s fortune across the country, particularly in the Greater Accra Region.

Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe’s woes in the NPP, started when he chastised Sammy Awuku and Anthony Karbo, for calling his nephew and brother of the President, Ibrahim Mahama names, and suggesting that a state-owned bank, Merchant Bank, was being sold to South Africa’s FirstRand Bank, by the government to cover-up a US$50 million loan procured by Ibrahim.

Last week, Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe at the launch of his autobiography titled Never Say Die, in which he accused the 2012 flagbearer of the NPP, Nana Akufo-Addo, of acting in a manner which contributed to the loss of votes in the Greater Accra Region.

According to Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe, the Committee made up of, Nii Adjiri-Blankson, Cecilia Bannerman, Sheikh I.C Quaye and himself, was charged by the flagbearer with dousing any fires arising from the primaries and any other matters, but was dissolved when suspicions and rumours threatened to derail the campaign.

Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe insists Nana Akufo-Addo’s decision to dissolve the committee was wrong, adding that accounted for the party's defeat in the Greater Accra region.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem morning show last Friday, May 10, 2013 Asamoah Gyamfi, said if there was any blame for the party’s poor performance in the region, it should be laid squarely at the doorstep of the former diplomat.

Mr. Gyamfi, who has worked extensively in the party machinery over the years, particularly in the Greater Accra Region, said Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe’s speech was negative to the party, “His actions and expressions repel people from joining the NPP”, he said.

In 1992, he (Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe) said in Tema that if the then flagbearer, Adu Boahen does not win the elections there will be fire in the country but on the day of the election he was out of the country. He did the same thing in 1996. He is a liability to the party.

Gyamfi said he strongly supported Nana Akufo-Addo’s decision to dissolve the group, saying the reason for its constitution was being thwarted by infighting among members.

Mr. Gyamfi called on the leadership of the NPP to move away from appointing people based on “names. We need people who have Constituencies.”

The Herald has meanwhile, been informed that Nana Addo dissolved that group because he suspected Dr. Nyaho-Tamakloe of releasing vital NPP campaign information to the Mahama family and, therefore, had to disband the group which was to work on creaming Ga-Dangbe votes for the party. This was done deliberately to spite the diplomat and ex-football administrator.