Akufo-Addo campaign team engulfed in power struggle

Information available to Today indicates that the campaign team of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the November 7 polls has not been able to draw a roadmap on how it intends to win the 2016 polls.

According to a plausible source, the NPP campaign team which is led by former National Chairman, Mr. Peter Mac Manu, has failed on two consecutive times at its meetings to agree on the way forward for the party, after its inauguration at the party’s Special Conference in Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo region, on Saturday, December 19, 2016.

It will be recalled that the NPP at the said conference officially outdoored its 2016 campaign team.

The team comprised former National Chairman, Peter Mac Manu, former General Secretary and Member of Parliament (MP) for Okere, Dan Botwe-Campaign Strategist, and Boakye Agyarko-Policy Adviser.

Others were Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, entrusted with fundraising responsibilities; Edward Boateng—Administration and Logistics, with acting General Secretary, John Boadu, as Director of Operations, with support from Sammy Awuku, Otiko Djaba and Kamal Deen, and all party organisers across the country.

But what seems to be a power play within the team, a source close to the Asylum Down headquarters of the NPP said, was the reason why “the so-called Akufo-Addo’s winning campaign team has not been able up till now to put down something strategic on paper.”

Consequently, the source blamed the ‘power play’ politics within the team on the inclusion of Mr. Ken Ofori Atta as the Director for Fundraising and John Boadu, who has been handed the responsibilities of Director of Operations.

What has muddied the waters, the source further claimed, was the “remote control” role by the acting National Chairman of the party, Mr. Freddie Blay, who though is not part of the team, has been giving directions on how things should go.

“How can the team prosecute its agenda by winning the November 7 polls when Freddie wants to control the campaign funds,” a member of the campaign team in the Ashanti region, told Today via phone on condition of anonymity.

At its maiden meeting, two weeks after the Sunyani conference, Today gathered that there was a serious disagreement over the role of Mr. Ken Ofor Atta to lead in sourcing for funds for the party’s campaign team.

Although those opposed to that decision do not doubt Mr. Ofori Atta’s expertise, Today gathered that they had problems about how the funds would inure to the benefit of the task handed to them—which task is to win the upcoming elections.

The source indicated that it was the same Mr. Ofori Atta who was in-charge of the purse of the NPP’s campaign team in the 2012 elections, and yet some polling agents and constituencies were starved of logistics and funds meant for them to work, which situation led to the party’s defeat.

Mr. Ofor Atta, who the source said did not take kindly with the position by some members of the team, dared them to prove the allegation against him or else “they should shut up.”

“How can you make such a wild allegation against me, even you (referring to one of his accusers,)”? he quizzed.

However, the source said Mr. Ofori Atta reiterated his commitment to the cause of the NPP and how he wished the party was in power.

But apart from the issue with the fundraiser, our source said John Boadu wants to lead the campaign although Mr. Mac Manu is the leader, which development was breaking the front of the team touted by political analysts as the best and a winning team for that matter.

Today is privy to information that there was a near scuffle at the team’s last meeting, a month ago, where some members of the campaign team including some constituency organisers opposed the decision of John Boadu leading the campaign.

“He (John Boadu) can assist but not to be the face of the campaign after all some of us don’t trust him,” a member of the team told this reporter.