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Justin Frimpong Kodua, the General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has strongly rebutted allegations that the new party leadership has hijacked the governing party.
These assertions come amidst a growing dispute within the party, triggered by remarks made by Alan Kyerematen, the former Minister of Trade and Industry, who withdrew from the NPP’s presidential nomination race earlier this month.
Kyerematen, at a press conference on Monday (25 September) levelled accusations of bias against the party’s national executives, which culminated in his surprising decision to contest the upcoming national elections as an independent candidate.
“The party has been hijacked by a selected group of party leaders, elders, government appointees, ‘behind-the-curtain power brokers,’ and some unscrupulous party apparatchiks,” Kyerematen asserted during a public forum where he announced his resignation from the NPP.
In a sharp response to these claims, General Secretary Justin Frimpong Kodua held a press conference to address the allegations head-on. In a clear and unequivocal tone, Kodua refuted the allegations as baseless and lacking in substance.
“The leadership of the party categorically disagrees with Kyerematen’s assertion that the NPP has been hijacked,” Kodua stated. “Historically, the selection of flagbearers for political parties in Ghana had been the preserve of a select few until NPP took the bold decision to decentralize the process.”
Kodua went on to explain the party’s significant steps in recent years to democratize the candidate selection process. He highlighted the expansion of the electoral college, which now includes approximately 200,000 delegates, a significant increase from the mere 1,998 delegates who participated in the process in 1992. According to Kodua, this substantial expansion underscores the party’s commitment to decentralizing power and ensuring that all party stakeholders have a say in the selection of candidates.
As tensions continue to simmer within the NPP, the leadership remains steadfast in its commitment to democratic principles, emphasizing inclusivity and representation within the party. The upcoming months will be closely watched as the party grapples with this internal dispute, with implications that could resonate far beyond the party itself.
SOURCE: DAILY MAIL GH
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