Nyaho: Alan Must Wait

A founding father of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe has added his voice to assertions by the party's former Chairman, Haruna Esseku that 2012 is not the year for presidential hopeful, Alan Kyeremanteng and therefore he (Alan) must freeze his ambitions for eight more years. Dr Tamakloe, on the wings of Haruna Esseku�s comments, has reiterated his stance that the party must rally behind 2008 flagbearer, Nana Akuffo Addo, if it desires to win the 2012 election. �I agree with Haruna�s position that Nana Addo should be looked at seriously and that Alan Kyeremanteng should wait�we have to find a winning way for 2012 and that should start now�. He told Citi FM�s Shamima Muslim. In what appears to be a subtle endorsement for Nana Addo�s candidature for 2012, the former NPP National Chairman, Haruna Esseku, in an earlier interview with Citi FM called on Alan Kyeremanteng to discard his Presidential ambitions for 2012 and focus on the 2020 elections since he (Alan) does not have what it takes to win power for the NPP in the 2012. �I doubt if Alan can win for the NPP�He should wait for the next eight years; he is still young. It should be Nana Addo or any other person the party shall elect.� He said. His comments have attracted sharp criticisms and chastisements from the rank and file of the party. On Friday, October 2, some NPP leaders in the Ashanti Region demanded that the leadership of the party to dissociate itself from Mr. Esseku�s comments within a week and demand a retraction from him. A founding father of the Party, Mr. Appiah Menka in reaction said that Haruna Esseku�s comments are constitutionally flawed. ��nobody can disenfranchise anybody. By the constitution of the party nobody can ask Nana Akuffo Addo or Alan to step down.� He said Another founding father, Dr. Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe however thinks otherwise. He holds the view that the party�s history of choosing flagbearers seems to favour Nana Addo and therefore should be supported to lead the party in 2012. �Even though the party is a democratic one, there are certain serious considerations that are given in choosing a leader.� He said. The former Ghana�s Ambassador to Serbia, who is also gunning for the Greater Accra Chairman of the NPP, has suggested unequivocally that former President Kufuor should take the initiative and endorse Nana Addo for the 2012 flagberership. The ace Medical Doctor says, in the same manner that former President Kufuor was endorsed by some party bigwigs for the 2000 and 2004 elections, he (Kufuor) should have taken the initiative to openly endorse Nana Addo for the 2008 elections. � �I believe strongly that Kufuor should have done the honourable thing by lifting the hands of Akuffo Addo and say clearly that this is the man I am going to hand over the baton to; rather than to bring somebody who would have to learn afresh to be able to lead the party. �If Kufuor today declares that, by the tradition of the party, Akuffo Addo should become the next leader of the party, I think that the NPP will win the 2012 elections.� He said.