Spokesperson for Alan Kyeremanten, a flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is alleging that there is a grand scheme within the party to get him to bow out of the race.
Nana Ohene Ntow is of the firm belief that the rank and file of the party are scheming to pave way for two-time presidential candidate of the party, Nana Akufo-Addo to represent the NPP in 2016 unopposed.
�This looks like some kind of a scheme to put pressure on Alan�even before Sunday�s congress, there have been a lot of pressure on Alan not to run, not to contest and after the Sunday election, they want him to step down�,� he said.
Ohene Ntow�s claims follow a visit to Kyeremanten�s campaign office by the National Organizer of the NPP, John Boadu and some other regional organizers.
According to Mr. Ntow, Boadu and his team �wanted to discuss the possibility of all the other candidates who remain in the race to present one candidate in which case there should not be any primary election.�
They also proposed that all aspirants must make the rest of the campaigning more decorous; devoid of attacks.
But they were reportedly unable to state the strategic basis of the proposal and which candidate the group had in mind.
�They were not able to indicate which candidate they had in mind should there be a consensus for one candidate to run,� Ntow said, adding that �they were not able to put it across and they were not also able to provide any details as to what kind of procedure or modalities should be followed.�
Kyeremanten�s spokesperson on Citi Prime News disclosed that soon after Boadu and his team left, reports reached them that the National Women�s Organizer, Otiko Afisa Djaba was planning a similar visit.
He said that �we had information that the National Women Organizer is also initiating a similar process where all the regional Women Organizers will come together to employ emotional tactics and use whatever emotional methods to push Alan to accept to step down.�
��so if you put all of these things together, it looks like some grand scheme,� he insisted.
Ntow consequently admonished the leadership of the party or any other individual instigating the said grand scheme �not to do anything to disenfranchise party delegates who are also looking forward to participate in the process of selecting a candidate.�
No grand scheme
In response, the National Organizer of the NPP John Boadu has vehemently denied that his visit was only aimed at getting Kyeremanten to back out of the flagbearership race of the NPP.
According to him, they visited the other shortlisted candidates to primarily commend them for Sunday�s peaceful super delegates� congress.
He said all the organizers of the party always work to ensure there is peace within the party when major party events are to take place.
As a result, they visited the remaining aspirants �to plead and wish that the vitriolic and sometimes, some of the allegations against each other will come down for us to have a unified and a cohesive party after the 18th.�
Background
The party is scheduled to vote for a presidential candidate to lead them into the 2106 general elections on October 18, 2014.
However, a super delegates� congress was organized last Sunday to prune down the number of flagbearer aspirants from seven to five as stated in the party�s constitution.
Nana Akufo-Addo won the elections by polling 81% of the total valid votes cast.
His overwhelming victory gave rise to calls for the leadership of the party to cancel the final congress to allow Nana Addo lead the party unopposed.
There have since been calls by major personalities and blocks within the party for the other four candidates to bow out.
Joe Ghartey, one of the shortlisted five aspirants pulled out of the contest on Monday.
Another contestant, Francis Addai Nimo has said he would consult with his campaign team to determine whether he will take part in the final congress.
Kyeremanten, who is considered the closest contender to Nana Addo only managed 8.01% of the total valid votes cast.
But he has made his intentions clear that he will partake in the final contest.
Although the party leadership has served notice that the October 18 congress will take place as planned, some party members seem to be convinced that Nana Addo must go unopposed.
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