Akyem-Ashanti divide: It’s a "dangerous lie" – Dan Botwe

Okere Member of Parliament and former General Secretary of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dan Botwe, has described as “cheap” and “dangerous” talk, claims of an Akyem-Ashanti factionalism in the party.

“There’s nothing like Ashanti-Akyem divide in the party and I’m prepared to debate anybody who makes that claim. There’s no such evidence”, Dan Botwe rebuffed the claim vehemently on Tuesday.

According to him, members of the party who have been trumpeting that notion are seeking “cheap” popularity.

Botwe’s comments come on the heels of recent complaints by the head of the legal committee of the NPP, Nii Ayikoi Otoo, at a recent TESCON forum at the University of Cape Coast in the Central Region that the NPP will be consigned to opposition unless it addressed the Ashanti-Akyem divide.

Buttressing his point while addressing the tertiary branch of the party, Ayikoi Otoo said: “In the runoff in 2008, when Nana Addo had 49.9 per cent and needed just a small number of votes to cross the 50 per cent mark, the evidence was that the Ashantis did not come out to assist”. “This divide in the middle of our party continues up till today and before you contest elections for National office you must align yourself with one of the group”, he bemoaned. According to him, Prof. Mike Ocquaye, who was on his way to becoming the NPP chair at some point, had his dreams dashed because there was an order to have Harona Esseku elected instead. “If you don’t do something about it, we will never come to power again," he warned.

However, Dan Botwe told Accra-based Asempa FM Tuesday that Ayikoi Otoo’s comments are “so unfortunate. I’m very pained by that statement; it’s very painful to me. I think he doesn’t understand the history of the party. It is not true”.

He said the perception that the party is cut in two ethnic halves “has no basis at all. It’s a repetition of lose talk”.

“It’s cheap, lose and dangerous talk. He must retract and apologise”.