Correspondence from Upper East:

Tangoba Abayage, the Upper East Regional Minister, has called on members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Navrongo Central Constituency to let peace and calm return to the party.

The Regional Minister particularly called on members of two factions within the party, who have since the party’s defeat in the election engaged in a war of press conferences, to cease going further.

Ms. Abayage is worried the party would have dim prospects in the future if members of the party continue to toe that lane.

Speaking exclusively to GhanaWeb on Wednesday, worried Ms. Abayage described the press conferences as “not healthy” which could further plunge the party into more problems and deepen the woes of the elephant fraternity in the constituency.

Ms. Abayage said the present time was for party members to hold sober reflections and help find ways to reconcile the cracks to return stronger for victory in the future. She said it was time for the party to heal from the defeat and no waste it attacking each other.

Ms. Abayage stressed that she would not allow current happenings in the constituency to endanger her relationship with Mr. Adda who she called her brother. She revealed her enormous reverence for the incumbent MP and said nothing could come between them- not even the political bitterness that lingers in the constituency.

She, therefore, asked supporters in both factions who might have been aggrieved by actions of the party leadership or individuals in the party, to be calm and not do anything that would further widen the cracks.

“We aren’t helping issues at all with this forth and back in the media. This is the time to let peace reign, to respect each other’s opinion. The NPP is a strong party that suffered a defeat, yes, but we would definitely rise but we can’t rise in the midst of throwing missiles at each other. Hon. Joseph Kofi Adda is my brother who will always be. We are a brother and sister and I have so much respect for him as a senior. I don’t see why party supporters should be throwing missiles at each other the way they are doing. It must stop. So as a leader, I’m requesting everybody in the party to ceasefire. No accusations or counter-accusations. It’s a plead I’m making.

“I also want to apologize to anybody that might have been hurt by anyone or as a result of this (the press conferences). We need peace, we need healing. We should allow that. What we are doing to ourselves is not healthy.
“I also want to disassociate myself completely from any press conference that has been held either for me or against me. They are not healthy and must stop”.

Press Conferences

After the 2020 general election in which the NPP performed abysmally leading to the recapture of the Parliamentary seat by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and a win for its Presidential candidate, camps affiliated to the incumbent Member of Parliament- Joseph Kofi Adda and the Upper East Regional Minister, Tangoba Abayage, have been at each other’s throats apportioning blame for the defeat of the party in the constituency.

Whereas followers of Ms. Abayage pointed fingers at Kofi Adda accusing him of throwing support behind the NDC candidate and giving him huge financial benefits for his campaigns which caused her defeat, members of the party who support Kofi Adda have accused the constituency executives and Ms. Abayage of not involving the MP and his followers in campaign activities and other plans in the run-up to the election.

So far, there have been about 3 pressers convened by the factions in a space of two weeks.