I’ve Not Declared Any Intention To Run As Flag-Bearer Of NPP — Dr Afriyie Akoto Clarifies.
The agric minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto has rubbished claims he has met some NPP party executives to declare his intentions to run as flag-bearer of same.
In a statement copied to the Ghanaian Observer Newspaper, Dr Akoto said the narrations by a section of the media and the twists by same is only a figment of the imaginations of the writers.
He noted that he remains loyal to the cause of the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and as minister would work to preserve the legacy the former wants to leave the populace before his mandate expires.
Dr Akoto said the only meetings he had had with party faithful have been at the behest of the latter.
Yours authoritative mouthpiece publishes the full statement as signed by Dr Afriyie Akoto this day beneath.
STATEMENT BY HON. DR. OWUSU AFRIYIE AKOTO ON DETAILS OF MEETINGS HELD WITH EXECUTIVES OF THE NPP IN THE ASHANTI REGION.
I have taken due notice of an information making rounds on both traditional and social media claiming to be summary of an outcome of a meeting held with party executives in the Ashanti Region “to supposedly announce my bid for the flagbearer position of the New Patriotic Party”.
The narrators for reasons best known to them, mischievously sought to court public disaffection for my person by making outrageous claims and allegations.
Hence with, I would like to put forward the following facts:
1. Per the constitution of the New Patriotic Party, nominations have not been opened for interested candidates to announce their intentions to contest for any position in the party. It is therefore unfortunate for anyone to seek to create the impression that I held a meeting to announce my bid for the “flagbearership” position of the party.
2. I decided to go to Kumasi and have some rest during the weekend and try to recover from a fever I was running after I attended the budget reading in parliament on Friday 12 March, 2021. As a former member of parliament in the region and as a senior member of this government, I accepted to grant audience to some party executives who had been making calls for a meeting to discuss matters concerning the welfare of the party. However, such meetings will end with an amount given as a transportation to guests who came from far and near.
3. The narrators claimed that I spent up to GH 1, 000,000.00 Ghana Cedis at the said meeting to announce my bid for the position. This is not only incorrect but it could only be in the imaginations of the one making those claims. Meeting 17 constituency executives for each of the 47 constituencies in my house meant I was receiving about 700 delegates. My house does not have the capacity to accommodate such numbers. How therefore can one assume that I paid almost One Million Ghana Cedis to these NPP executives in one day?
4. Furthermore, the narrators claimed I promised to distribute tractors and motorbikes to party executives. This is another lie. Being mindful of the fact that these tractors are purely meant for farming purposes, I will never use their allocation or distribution for my personal political ambition. Processes for the acquisition and distribution of these equipment are clearly spelt out and there is no way it will be compromised for other purposes apart from being given to deserving farmers and farmer groups in the country.
5. Another regrettable claim by the narrators is that I sought to ride on the back of my long-term relationship with President Akufo Addo to prosecute my political ambition. It is no secret that I have a very close relationship with President Akufo Addo which predates our political careers. But it can only be a figment of one’s imagination to assume that I will put the President in such an uncomfortable situation by using his name to campaign. Especially when he has issued a strong warning to members of his government to refrain from such conducts.