Bugri Naabu threatened to "kill me" – Ohene Ntow

A former General Secretary of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Ohene Ntow has revealed that the party’s Northern Regional Chairman, Daniel Bugri Naabu threatened to kill him in the lead up to the NPP’s presidential primaries.

A voice purported to be that of Mr Naabu – which was recently aired by some radio stations – was heard accusing Ohene Ntow and some current national executives of the NPP of receiving bribes from the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) to sabotage the NPP’s 2016 electoral fortunes.

The voice said the Chairman and General Secretary of the NPP, Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyepong, have received V8 vehicles from President John Mahama’s brother, Ibrahim.

The voice also claimed the two opposition executives are being protected by National Security personnel.

The same voice on the tape also revealed plans that all the 10 regional chairmen of the party are conspiring with the Minority in Parliament with the blessings of Flagbearer Nana Akufo-Addo, Running Mate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, National Youth Organiser Sammy Awuku, First Vice Chairman Freddie Blay, and the National Treasurer among others, to oust Mr Afoko and Mr Agyepong.

Mr Naabu’s office, however, released the following statement to deny the voice is his.

STATEMENT BY MR. DANIEL BUGRI NAABU

RE: RADIO GOLD BROADCAST OF WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2015

It has come to the attention of the Office of Mr. Daniel Bugri Naabu, Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), that a recorded tape, initially broadcast by Radio Gold, 90.5 FM, an Accra-based radio station affiliated to the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), is making rounds in various media houses. This tape has also enjoyed wide coverage on social media across the country.

In this tape, it is alleged that Chairman Bugri Naabu makes several allegations against the National Chairman and General Secretary of his Party, the NPP.

Chairman Bugri Naabu, having listened to the tape several times in the presence of other people, wants to make it clear to the general public and members of the NPP that the statements attributed to him are not true, nor the alleged voice his own.

Chairman Bugri Naabu sees this as a calculated attempt to sow seeds of discord between him and the leadership of the party and to tarnish his hard won reputation.

Chairman Bugri Naabu is therefore calling on the leadership and members of the party, the media and the general public to disregard the contents of the tape. It is an attempt by his enemies and people who do not want to see an NPP victory in 2016 to divert attention from the real issues facing the country at this time.

Denying the bribe allegation, Ohene Ntow said Mr Naabu’s action could spell doom for the NPP.

“This man threatened myself, threatened the chairman, threatened Kwabena Agypong, threatened Mr Kwadwo Mpiani [former Chief of Staff] before the presidential primaries that we are the ones who don’t want Nana Akufo-Addo to become presidential candidate and he stood in my face and said: ‘You Ohene Ntow, I’ll kill you’”.