The suspended founder member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby claims the party’s General Secretary is championing Nana Akufo-Addo’s third time bid as flagbearer to keep his job.
According to him, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie’s position as NPP scribe will be guaranteed with Akufo-Addo as leader of the party.
Dr. Wereko-Brobby disclosed this in an exclusive interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme on Wednesday
Sir John, as he is popularly called, and other leading members of the NPP are gunning for another Akufo-Addo/Bawumia ticket ahead of the 2016 general elections.
The lobbying started immediately after the Supreme Court dismissed an election petition filed by the NPP to unseat President John Mahama as the legitimate winner of the December 2012 presidential elections.
Akufo-Addo who was the first petitioner in the eight-month court case conceded defeat after the ruling, noting that he will announce his political future later.
But even before he decides his political future, there seems to be a near unanimous decision by the party to retain him as its flagbearer.
Already, some party members in the Ashanti and Northern regions have declared their unflinching support for Nana Addo.
Sir John is on record to have said even if Akufo-Addo who turns 72 in 2016 is in a wheelchair; he would still lead the NPP in 2016.
But Wereko-Brobby on Ekosii Sen said he is not surprised at Sir John’s position because "he owes his whole being and position" in the NPP to the Nana Akufo-Addo.
He alleged that Sir John’s name was among the people Nana Addo chose to work with in the party in the year 2000.
The outspoken politician contended that Sir John is more comfortable under an Akufo-Addo leadership and thus would work assiduously to ensure he [Nana] is retained as flagbearer.
Tarzan as he is popularly called said he is happy about the development because it shows the NPP has moved on after the Supreme Court dismissed the election petition.
He, however, disagreed with calls by some party members to allow Akufo-Addo to go unopposed.
Tarzan stated emphatically that NPP as a democratic party must create a level playing field for all interested and qualified persons within the party who want to contest the flagbearership position.