NPP MP roots for Mills

As the impending elections draw closer with most parliamentary candidates campaigning vigorously for themselves, and their parties to triumph in the upcoming general elections, Mr. Ignatius Kofi Poku Adusei, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for the Amansie East constituency in the Ashanti Region, is surprisingly doing the opposite to spite NPP flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The Chronicle has gathered that he is allegedly asking his constituents to vote for the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor John Evan Atta Mills, and consider him (Adusei) for the parliamentary seat.

According to the source, the incumbent Member of Parliament (MP) Mr. Poku Adusei, has said categorically that a vote for the NDC in the presidential election and himself, would do the trick for more development in the constituency.

He claims that he is a good friend of the vice presidential candidate of the NDC, Mr. John Mahama, who has promised to offer him a ministerial appointment under an NDC administration, to enable him continue with his developmental agenda for the constituency.

The source quoted him as saying "Johnny (Mahama), who he referred to as Ghana's Obama, is my' best friend, so vote for the NDC for me to bring developmental projects to the constituency."

Another source also revealed that when asked why he was campaigning for the NDC, Mr. Adusei told them that since Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the NPP flag bearer had refused to come to the constituency to endorse him as the party's candidate, he did not see why he should campaign for him.

The Chronicle has also gathered that at a meeting, which took place at the office of Mr. Joshua Okyere, Presiding Member of the Amansie East Municipal Assembly, with the Zongo community last Sunday, the NPP MP was embarrassed when he was directed by a staunch NDC supporter to campaign for the NDC parliamentary candidate, Mr. Noah Asante Manu.

Mr. Poku Adusei has been assured of their votes, on condition that he buys their votes, which he has reportedly obliged.

A source at the said meeting confided in this reporter that MP Poku Adusei had consequently promised to facilitate the recruitment of some Zongo boys into the military and police service, if they voted for him to represent the constituency for another term.

According to the insider, three groups were formed immediately, with those aspiring to join the military on one side, those for the police on another, while the third group told the MP that they needed money, not jobs.

The source further disclosed that the MP again obliged and promised to pay them off when they meet on November 23, to campaign seriously for him to win the seat for the third consecutive time.

When The Chronicle contacted the MP on phone, he said, "it does not make sense, and I won't respond to the issues raised, period!"

The MP is obviously peeved about the treatment meted out to him by the party and the flag bearer, besides the mockery that he was a non-entity in the NPP.

Apart from the Kasoa rally on July 13, this year, where Poku Adusei was introduced as the Amansie East candidate, the NPP had on two occasions swerved him and sent signals that the party cannot count on him.

On September 18, this year, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo's campaign train passed through Bekwai, Essumeja and Kokofu the Amansie East constituency from Obuasi to Kuntanase without stopping.

On November 10, the flag bearer on the advice of security and intelligence reports, again cancelled a scheduled rally in the constituency, apparently to introduce Poku Adusei to the constituents as the 'party's candidate.