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2016 flag bearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is gradually losing grip on the party he had controlled and micromanaged since 2008, as some influential functionaries of the party who hitherto, were his unrepentant loyalists have started deserting him.

Information reaching The aL-hAJJ indicates that former President John Agyekum Kufuor and his Ashanti cabal, after losing controlling influence in the party since his exit from office in 2009, have started capturing back some of their trusted lieutenants they lost to Nana Akufo-Addo.

In what could be described as stab on Nana Akufo-Addo and his Akyem clique, former General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie; 3rd National Vice Chairman, F.F Anto; newly-elected 2016 parliamentary candidate for Nhysiaso, Kennedy Kankam, MP for Bosomtwe, Simon Osei-Mensah, failed Asokwa Parliamentary aspirant and former Kumasi Mayor, Kofi Juma and other hardcore supporters of the twice defeated presidential candidate, including Member of Parliament for New Juaben South, Dr. Mark Assibey Yeboah, are all said to be disappointed in Akufo Addo’s leadership and are therefore returning to the Kufuor and Ashanti faction.

A dependable party insider told this paper that “some of our party big shots from Ashanti region who have over the years supported Nana Akufo-Addo against Kufuor have now realized how Nana has consistently been undermining one of their kinsmen, and the most successful Danquah-Busia leader so far, Kufuor, therefore; they are retracing their roots back home...

“Those who are not Ashanti natives but benefitted from the Kufuor presidency only to later desert him (Kufuor) and threw their support to Nana Addo have also seen the light. Even when their support for Nana has been unflinching, he (Nana) supported other candidates against them in the last parliamentary primaries. The case of Dr Assibey Yeboah is a unique testimony …his (Assibey’s) father has been a strong and long standing loyalist of Kufuor, but Dr Mark Assibey has been supporting Akufo-Addo yet, Nana rooted for someone to unseat him …he did the same thing to Simon Osei-Mensah,” a deep throat source in the NPP disclosed to The aL-hAJJ. Adding that, “the case of Isaac Osei was also another clear example of Akufo Addo’s divisive tendencies”.

The source, who does not want his name disclosed, noted that “it is clear from the posturing of these people that they are indeed, fed up and have abandoned Nana. These days, its either they have stop criticizing Kufuor and persons believe to be his supporters or they have started singing the praise of Kufuor and his loyalists. Clearly, they have stopped doing the bidding of Nana.”

A hitherto harsh critic of former President Kufuor and his acolytes, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, the man who was quoted saying if Nana Akufo Addo does not become president in 2016, he will die; has begun revising his position.

For the second time in two separate interviews recently, Sir John has been lauding beleaguered National Chairman, Paul Afoko, and General Secretary, Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, for doing a great job for the party.

Until now, the acerbic tongue former General Secretary, a self-proclaimed apostle of Akufo-Addo, who not long ago accused the duo of working against Nana Akufo-Addo’s presidential bid, now says Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyapong are both working hard to wrestle power from the National Democratic Congress.

“I’m happy Paul and Kwabena are doing very well, but you know as humans, they can get one or two things wrong,” he was quoted in the media to have said.

Ironically, Sir John’s auspicious remarks on his former nemesis, Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyapong comes on the heels of call by the NPP Council of Elders’ for the removal of the party chairman and general secretary who have been accused of working against Akufo Addo’s presidential aspirations.

Another well-known adherent of Nana Akufo-Addo, who was alleged to be neck deep in plots to oust Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyepong, but is now turning his back to the former Abuakwa South MP, is third vice chairman, Frederic Fredua Anto.

Mr. Fredua Anto, a former Ashanti regional chairman of NPP, recently faulted the party’s Council of Elders, (described by Dr Arthur Kennedy as an appendage of Nana AKufo-Addo), for directing the Disciplinary Committee to sanction National Chairman Paul Afoko.
He said, the respected National Council of Elders in wanting the good of the party, must not violate the NPP’s constitution by their actions.

Also now demonstrating his aversion for Nana Akufo-Addo after previously and openly supporting his third term bid is the New Juaben South MP, Dr Assibey Yeboah, who, despite Nana Akufo-Addo’s supposed instructions to the minority to back down plans to block adb’s Initial Public Offer, has gone ahead to file a court injunction at the Supreme Court to stop the deal.

Other hitherto strong backers of Nana Akufo-Addo like Simon Osei-Mensah, Kennedy Kankam, Isaac Osei, Frank Boakye Agyin and others are said to have adopted “a low profile strategy and have decided not to defend anything about Nana and his Akyem sect.”

Having lost these “strong pillars” to former President Kufuor, Nana Akufo-Addo, according to sources, is now dinning with his Akyem loyalists and some few party stalwarts from the North and “the likes of Freddy Blay” from the Western region and John Boadu from Central.

This latest development, The aL-hAJJ has gathered, is threatening Nana Akudo-Addo’s continued control over the party, especially as stalwarts from the NPP Word Bank, Ashanti region, are all turning to Mr Kufuor and his ilk forming the Ashanti cabal.