Kufuor distraught about leaks

The former President, Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor has threatened to kick against any monthly meeting with the party leadership in his private residence, to avoid misconceptions against him.

The information gathered from the camp of the ex-President was that he is upset by reports in the public domain that sought to malign him, following the controversial meetings he held with party gurus in his house last two weeks.

According to reports, Mr. Kufuor complained bitterly to top members of the party that he saw no reason why his critics wanted to paint him as one who did not have the party's interest at heart, after he had openly cautioned against moves to expand the Electoral College.

"He has not kicked against the decision. He cautioned party members about the dangers involved and how to manage the process to prevent infiltration from their opponents. He has therefore expressed his reservation about the misinterpretation of his views on the matter," a source close to the former President told this paper.

According to information available to this reporter, Mr. Kufuor expressed his worry about how issues discussed at the meet ing found their way into the media. He questioned why most of the meetings he had held with former District Chief Executives, former Ministers and Members of Parliament did not come out into the public, except the one he held with the rank and file of the party with the sole purpose of seeking unity.

To this end, he has decided that the planned monthly meetings with party echelons would not take place in his house again, so that he would not be subjected to any scorn and ridicule.

"He is all for the party's unity, and it is incredible that which he raised issues for he party address, his concerns were taken out of context and he is now seen as an enemy to the NPP. He cannot do anything against the progress and fortunes of a party that took him to the presidency on two occasions," the source reiter ated.

"Mr. Kufuor is now observing the trend and looking at how he was abused, attacked and maligned last week. He still finds it difficult that some members at various fora attempted to vilify him and many others. The fact is, he is not pleased with what is going on in the party. He thinks the party should close its ranks," the source stated.

It would be recalled that the former President was reported to be on a collision mission against the popular sentiment among the grassroots of the party for the expansion of the Electoral College.

According to the information, Mr Kufuor has mobilised region al chairmen and other influential voices of the party in an attempt torpedo popular plans by the National Council of the NPP to expand the Electoral College for the election of the party's flag-bearer.

The plan to radically expand the party's congress delegates from some 2,330 to some 300,000 is very popular within the party rank and file. But the former President is dead against it, party members hinted.

Mr. Kufuor has bad a series of strategic meetings, with the latest two weeks Tuesday in his house where he tried to sell the message to people like Nana Akufe-Addo, Alan Kyerematen, Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Prof Mike Oquaye, Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Akenten Appiah-Menka, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, and Ohene Ntow and Ama Busia among oth ers.

The former President believes that the decision to expand the Electoral College would be too expensive, and would not be nec essary now, because the party has just suffered a painful defeat.

According to sources at the meeting, the former President also believes the status quo bas served the party well since 1992. Meanwhile, this paper has gath ered that the former President had earlier met with the party legisla tors and kicked against the expan sion of the Electoral College and appealed for their support.

But the Natiobnal Executive Committee and the higher body of the National Council held a three-day marathon meeting at the end of April, where a wide range of proposals were discussed and agreed upon.

These proposals are to be put before the party's national confer ence, its highest decision making body in its July 17 meeting.

The most radical of the propos als will see a two-tier procedure for the election of the flag bearer, which is designed to drastically limit the number of candidates to three. And those who qualify for the shortlist will be put before a much expanded electoral college of over 300,000 party members and executives across the country. including one TESCON represen tative per institution, and about 35 delegates from the party's Diaspora branches.

Meanwhile at the crucial NEC meeting last week, the leadership of the party resolved to organize the conference in August this year.