NPP flagbearer race: State CEOs shouldn't be endorsing presidential aspirants - Kwabena Agyepong 'fires' Sammy Awuku et al.

Kwabena Agyepong, Presidential aspirant and former General Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party, has condemned the act where civil servants like Chief Executive Officers of State agencies have involved themselves in endorsing his competitors in the lead-up to the NPP Presidential primaries.

Mr. Agyapong found it distasteful and displeasing to the NPP and the entire nation for a person appointed into civil office to publicly declare support for a particular candidate.

"We cannot overly politicize this country to the detriment of the development of our country, Ghana," he cautioned.

The NPP Presidential aspirant declined to mention specific names, however, it could be recalled that the Chief Executive Officer of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), Sammy Awuku, weeks ago picked nomination forms on behalf of Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who is contesting the flagbearership of the NPP.

This act by Sammy Awuku is seen to be his endorsement for Dr. Bawumia to lead the New Patriotic Party into the 2024 elections.

To Kwabena Agyapong, these things cause divisions within the party.

" . . it is not healthy for the party," he stated, adding "it's not possible that you have a Chief of Staff who is the anchorman at the Presidency. He holds the stick, the enforcer, that is the role of the Chief of Staff and you can have all these CEOs being roled out openly endorsing one candidate".

"This creates apathy and dissent that, if care is not taken and the election doesn't go well, some people misbehave," he stressed.

"We all have a responsibility to change things so that the party people will feel enabled and have that enthusiasm to move from house to house, working hard to help the party," he appealed to the party leaders.

Mr. Agyapong charged the party members and supporters to realize the power they have stressing "the future of this country and the future of our party resides in their bosom".