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Nana Yaw Owusu, the Mpaboahene [Sandals chief] of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has denied leading 58 of his colleagues to endorse presidential nominee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo.
The flagbearer, who is on 4-day tour of Ashanti Region on Wednesday, visited the Atwima Kwanwoma area where the chiefs were reported to have pledged their support to his candidature.
But Nana Yaw Owusu on the Ultimate Breakfast Show hosted by Lantam Papanko, denied media reports that they openly threw their support behind the NPP flagbearer.
“There was no mention of party, government and president during our interaction. Nana Addo came in and gave us a request to support him to be president. When the request came after we welcomed him, we said from time immemorial the people have voted for the UP tradition which has now metamorphosed into NPP but said successive governments have neglected us ”, he said.
Otumfuo’s Mpaboahene revealed that he acted as spokesperson for the chiefs and what transpired at the meeting was his explanation of the pattern of voting in the area, stating that they are neutral persons who do not campaign for any of the political parties in the country.
According to him, the chiefs have no authority over which political party their subjects will vote for at the December 7 polls emphasizing that whether they vote for the NPP as always been the practice or not, the result will speak to the issue.unity-walk-banner2
“I am part of the region and we don’t campaign for any political party. I was only referring to past records in my speech as spokesperson for the chiefs and as to whether the electorate will vote for the NPP or not, the result will say. We as chiefs are not taking sides. Successive governments including the NPP itself neglected the Twedie road”, he added.
The chief who was speaking on behalf of his colleagues, asked the 58 chiefs to clap if they really agreed to what he said and would vote for the NPP and in unison they clapped in the affirmative.
They expressed confidence in the ability of the NPP flag bearer to bring development to the people in the area.
