Barley twenty-four hours after choosing a presidential candidate to contest the December polls, the Grand Coalition comprising the People?s National Convention, The Great Consolidated Popular Party and the EGLE Party has been dealt a serious blow. The GCPP led by Dan Lartey has broken away from the coalition.
Lartey is accusing both the elected candidate, Dr. Edward Mahama of the PNC and his running mate, EGLE Party?s Danny Ofori Atta of deceit. Lartey broke the news of leaving the coalition on TV3?s Road To The Castle Programme aired on Thursday evening.
Dr Edward Mahama was on Thursday elected Flag Bearer of The Grand Coalition after six out of nine members of an electoral college voted for him. The Electoral College was made up of three representatives each from the three parties forming the coalition. He beat GCPP?s Dan Lartey who polled just three votes.
Dr. Mahama immediately named EGLE Party?s Danny Ofori Atta as his running mate to contest the December presidential polls.
Mr. Ofori Atta stepped down just before the election.
Mr Lartey also became the Chairman of the Coalition with the task of uniting all the Nkrumaists to wrest power from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Elections.
But Dr. Mahama?s appointment of Mr. Ofori as his running mate is the source of Mr. Lartey?s discontent.
He said on the programme that there was an understanding that the runner up in the election automatically becomes the running mate of the elected candidate.
He said both Dr. Mahama and Mr. Ofori Atta have reneged on that provision.
He specifically accused Mr. Ofori Atta of not honouring a promise he made to him to the effect that he will give him his support.
?He came to my house and said he let his people vote for him. Why did he reneged on that promise. He cannot be trusted and I am quitting the coalition?, he said.
An emotionally charged Mr. Lartey said he will run the contest on his own and will not come back to the coalition.
Not even his appointment as chairman of the coalition with a further responsibility of uniting all Nkrumist to contest the Polls could compensate for the loss.
Mr. Lartey?s break away from the coalition is a clear violation of his acceptance speech after yesterday?s election where he expressed their willingness to campaign together to win the elections.
