Opinions of Wednesday, 14 August 2019

Columnist: Ato Kuntu Blankson

Evalue Gwira NPP mole in NDC faces disqualification at vetting committee

File photo File photo

Barely 24 hours to the Opposition National Democratic Congress’s Parliamentary vetting slated to take across some regions which were initially suspended for some reasons from Thursday 15 – Friday 16 August, 2019, Evalue Gwira Constituency is anticipated to witness a trailer in manila drama showdown where one of the aspirants known to be a mole in the NDC known as Mr. Kofi Arkoe Nokoe, one of the three aspirants.

Mr. Arkoe who after several harsh actions against the NDC then in government which made it unpopular was known to be an opposition member and widely known to be in bed with the ruling New Patriotic Party during its opposition days by working against the same party he aspires to lead which he later joined the party in 2017.

According to some party members in the constituency, they can fathom why he has been given the prominence by some greedy and selfish members who only interested in their stomachs, notwithstanding infamous acts against the party.

He is known to have partnered some key members of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) with key among them as the current Member of Parliament for the Evalue Ajomoro Gwira and former Tourism Minister Madam Catherine Afeku and the current Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Frank Okpenye who sponsored and partly participated in the demonstration against the NDC then in government, making it unpopular.

Also, it is widely known by all that he is being sponsored by some New Patriotic Party’s prominent members in Evalue Gwira such Madam Dorcas Amoah, one time failed aspirant of NPP Parliamentary and MCE slots, Eva Mends, former Director of Budget at the Finance Ministry and widow of the late Kweremanteng Agyarko, former Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency of the Greater Accra Region with an agenda to unseat the incumbent Member of Parliament Catherine Afeku who have been a thorn in their flesh over the years.

Despite several moves to lobby some prominent personalities of the region to compromise the regional executives to accept and pass him through the vetting process on Thursday and subsequently contest the primaries come 24 September, 2019 in the constituency have hit the rocks due to the massive opposition of his (Kofi Arkoe) candidature by the constituency executives and council of elders of the party.

Some party executives and that of the council of elders have vehemently opposed Mr. Kofi Arkoe Nokoe and don’t want to be associated with his past deeds against the party that led the NDC to lose most of its strongholds in the constituency especially Axim and its environs as well as the parliamentary seat at large.

Many among them were he leading the demonstration against the former MCE, James Baideo with the flimsy excuse that ‘small boys’ are not supposed to be given the position to lead, the demonstration against the NDC in 2015 for breeding corrupt officials who are doing nothing to rehabilitate the Axim town roads.

A constituency executive with name as Joe Kwofie wondered why the party could give Mr. Kofi Arkoe Nokoe the green light to pick and file his nomination forms since the party have turned into a laughing stock in the constituency ever since he was given the chance to pick forms by both the NPP and fair-minded voters since he is not fit to lead the NDC ahead of the 2020 parliamentary polls.

“This guy removed John Mahama’s billboard and left Nana Addo and Catherine Afeku and when asked he told us that Mahama was corrupt and needed no honour from him (Kofi Arkoe), then President of Axim Youth Alliance and that of the people of Axim”.

An elder of the party in the constituency who gave his name Kaku Essien recounted the incidence where he (Kofi Arkoe) went on radio to insult and ridicule former President John Mahama after delivering the State of the Nation address as well as on social media to call the former president a liar and subsequently openly verbally fought Dr. Omane Boama, then Communication Minister on a Takoradi based Skyy Power Fm Jolly ride morning show for being a liar.

We can’t let this arrogant and disrespectful boy lead the party and what message are we going to tell the electorates about his attitude towards the party, even he insulted our paramount chief Awulae Attibrukusu III and his elders for being useless and called him as foolish during their demonstration in Axim, in fact, his inclusion will spell doom for the party and think he must be taken out from the contest. The council member added.

A former constituency executive member of the party widely known as Takyi expressed worry over the party structures, adding that Kofi Arkoe’s issue if not carefully looked into will set a bad precedent for others to follow if he not disqualified to set as yardstick to people who might taken the party for granted and later comes to contest key position.

On his part, Albert Cudjoe, a member of the party lamented over the pace given to Kofi Nokoe Arkoe after denting the party’s image when in power and now want to lead the same party he participated destroy.

“Am also disappointed in Uncle George Hayford and his wife who works at the American Embassy in Accra for wasting their monies on this guy”