The outspoken New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Akompreko Agyapong, has lashed out at some aspirants in the party’s presidential race, accusing them of parading as decoys to enhance the chances of others.

Agyapong contends that some of the aspirants have no genuine intentions of contesting for the slot, but have only entered the race to cause distraction and prevent one particular candidate from winning.

“Some of the aspirants have diabolic intentions, they are being used as decoys just to prevent a candidate from winning,” he insinuated.

Though the Assin Central MP, known for his categorical and unequivocal stance on issues, stopped short of mentioning names of so-called decoys, he implied that apart from Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo and Mr. Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, none of the candidates come close to him, if he also decides to contest.

“Apart from Nana Addo and Alan, I would beat all of the rest of the candidates; they know that they stand no chance, but it’s their decision to gang up against one candidate because they know he will win, they know it themselves,” the controversial NPP legislator stated.

According to him, some of the aspirants have evil intentions, stressing that they have only entered the race as part of orchestrated machinery against one particular candidate.

Speaking in an interview with a Kumasi-based radio station, HELLO FM, Hon. Agyapong observed that what these candidates have failed to realize is that they were unnecessarily causing distractions to the party’s quest to build a solid and formidable force in time to face its opponents.

He was of the view that the party is yet to learn its lessons from the “17 contestant’s episode” in 2007, which nearly tore the party apart. So far, about five candidates have picked nomination forms to contest for the flagbearership slot, with the expectation that others may follow suit in few days to come.

Last week, leading contender and two-time presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, together with others such as Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Mr. Asamoah Boateng, Kofi OseiAmeyaw and Addai Nimoh, MP for Mampong, picked their nomination forms at the party’s headquarters to contest for the position.

Another leading contender, Mr. Alan Kyerematen is also expected to pick his nomination forms in due course, bringing the number to more than the five cut off point as provided in the Constitution of the party. It, therefore, means that a special electoral college would have to be organized to prune the number to five. The Constitution of the party says that if more than five candidates file and are vetted to contest, a special electoral college of some 847 party executives including all 275 constituency chairmen and all NPP MPs, would have to vote to reduce the number to five.

However, Hon. Agyapong believes the party would have been saved these troubles if the so-called candidates would stop tickling themselves and know that they stand no chance at all. “Sometimes I don’t understand some people at all, why do you have to waste your time pursuing something you know you can never get, you must check yourself before making certain decisions,” Hon. Agyapong advised.