A pressure group linked to the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has alleged surreptitious moves by former President Akufo Addo to throw out recent decision by the National Council of the party to hold early presidential primaries and expand the electoral college.
The group, Patriotic Movement for the NPP, claims the former President is busily lobbying groups and individuals to oppose the proposed amendments during the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Monday.
According to the group, Akufo Addo’s pushback is motivated by a desire to retain control over the party’s future leadership and decision-making processes.
By resisting early primaries and advocating for a more controlled selection process, the former President seeks to consolidate power and ensure that his preferred candidates and factions emerge victorious in the internal contest, particularly the flagbearership.
The New Patriotic Party on June this year resolved amongst others, to adopt the top- down approach by holding early Congress in January 31, to elect the party’s flagbearer, a decision political observers have described as masterstroke, in dealing with tension and internal squabbles within the party.
The party is expected to hold Delegates Conference on July 19 to affirm the decision, which will also see the inclusion of former MMDCEs under previous NPP administrations participating in the polls.
But ahead of next weekend’s conference scheduled to take place at the University of Ghana stadium, a group claims President Akufo Addo is not enthused about the proposed amendments and is therefore making clandestine moves to scuttle it.
It said the former President is rather pushing for late primaries which the group claims will offer him time to consolidate his position and influence within the party
In a statement signed by its Chairman and Secretary, Abrefa Mensah and Musa Iddrissu respectively, the Patriotic Movement for the NPP, warned the former President to steer clear off any move to derail the efforts of the party at building bridges and ensuring unity ahead of the 2028 elections.
The group argues that the early primaries, as well as bringing former appointees on board is a laudable decision that will engender holistic unity within the party and must therefore be embraced by all.
“It is against this backdrop that we are appealing to everyone, including former President Kufuor and Akufo Addo to support this move at ensuring unity and inclusiveness within the NPP” it noted.
