NPP Parliamentary aspirants should be civil during campaigns-Obetsebi-Lamptey

Koforidua, Feb. 9 GNA-Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey, National Chairman, New Patriotic Party (NPP), has cautioned all aspiring parliamentary candidates of the party against verbal abuse and unsubstantiated allegations during campaigns.

He said the party would not entertain any insult, unsubstantiated allegations, unnecessary personal attacks that could divide the rank and file of the party at the end of the day.

Mr Obetsebi- Lamptey said the party had a brighter chance of winning th= e 2012 elections and would not allow anybody to draw soil the party's reputation as such persons would be drastically dealt with. The NPP national chairman issued the caution in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), in Koforidua on Tuesday after a 93family" meeti= ng with party executives, Members of Parliament and parliamentary aspirants as part of a nationwide tour by the presidential candidate of the party, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo.

He said what the party needed at this time and beyond was unity to ensure that come 2012 the party would capture power from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The national chairman urged constituency and regional executive not to prevent any aspirant who qualifies to contest the primaries of the party to avoid divisions which characterized the party's campaign in 2008. He said in 2008, the party executives spent most of their time to settl= e disputes that emanated from the primaries which some disenchanted party members contested the parliamentary elections as independent candidates. Mr Obetsebi- Lamptey said divisions and acrimony affected the party's fortunes in 2008 and would ensure that such incidence were avoided between now and 2012. MR Obetsebi- Lamptey said the NPP would win the 2012 general election t= o rescue Ghanaians from the hard economic policies instituted by the NDC government.