How Top NPP Members Tried To Sabotage JAK's Nominee

THE CHRONICLE?S independent investigations have uncovered a plan by top ranking members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to sabotage President Kufuor?s nominee, Mr. Stanley Nii Agyiri Blankson, for the position of the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) on the eve of his confirmation.

The plot came in the wake of perceived feud among some top notches of the party with interests in the AMA position.

This paper can report that a party stalwart originally scheduled a secret meeting with a cross-section of assembly members at the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) guesthouse, to scuttle Mr. Blankson?s chances of winning the required votes.

A couple of the assembly members sympathetic to the NDC who later hinted The Chronicle about the sabotage plan by the NPP gurus, described the whole act as ?diabolic.?

The NDC group were said to have issued a quick statement dissociating themselves from any move to shatter the vision of the President in nominating Mr. Blankson.

One assembly member remarked to The Chronicle: ?Who is against such a move? What do they want to achieve should Agyiri be not given the nod? Please tell the President to flush such people out because they can destroy the party.?

The SSNIT guesthouse meeting, however, could not materialize as a result of a leaked information, and the venue was changed to the Labone Coffee Shop where a leading party functionary was spotted by this reporter with eight others at about 9.30 pm in a dark corner, planning their strategy over beer and khebabs.

But they had the shock of their lives when, Mr. Kweku Baako Jnr., Managing Editor of The Crusading Guide newspaper, emerged from nowhere to confront them. The group could not fathom how they were traced to the Coffee Shop.

When reached on the phone for his reaction to these activities, Mr. Blankson, an astute politician, told The Chronicle, ?I have no worry over such moves. I know that as a covenant child of God, I shall get the nod. I am even preparing my speech in spite of any plans against me. I hope my God will make my dream of success a reality.?

Blankson, who ultimately polled 80 out of 102 votes cast, representing 78%, will be sworn into office today.

In a related development, Hon. Theresa Amerley Tagoe, Deputy Minister of Lands and Forestry and Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South Constituency, has been accused of urging a cross section of assembly members in the constituency to vote against the chief executive.

Mr. Kwaku Asamoah, assembly member of Mansralo Electoral Area, and at onetime the MP?s activist, who, The Chronicle learnt, was at the gathering, opposed the decision on the basis that it would be unfair to vote against the President?s nominee and more so as Mr. Agyiri Blankson hails from his area.

According to him, his assertion did not go down well with the MP and it has resulted in a cold war between him and the MP.

When The Chronicle reached the Ms. Tagoe on phone on the allegations, she, shouting, told the paper to write whatever it liked ?because that has been its habit.? The deputy minister, Hon. Tagoe banged the phone as the editor of the paper, Mr. Kojo Omaboe, tried to explain why it was necessary for her to confirm or deny the allegations.

But the special aide to the minister, Alhaji Abu, rebutted the allegations, saying the problem between the assemblyman and the minister flowed from what the minister considers his betrayal of her.

According to him, Kwaku Asamoah had pledged to vote against Hon. Agyiri-Blankson, but he was later seen rather canvassing for the chief executive. He said when Asamoah?s apparent double-dealing got to the hearing of the minister, she called to tell him (Abu) that in the current dispensation of democracy, Asamoah has the right to vote for anybody of his choice, but added ?he should not be seen to be playing a double game.?

Alhaji Abu noted that the meeting at the MP?s house, prior to the endorsement of the chief executive, was in observance of the fifth anniversary celebration of the late Abed Tagoe, a brother of Mad. Tagoe.

He admitted that a feud exists between the chief executive and the MP and indicated that plans are advanced to patch them up to strengthen the party.

He hinted that a letter of congratulations has been written and is awaiting the signatures of the MP and the chairman of the constituency, after which it would be given to the new AMA Chief Executive.