Akufo Addo
-Rejects Akufo Addo's Requests For Cash & Pressure on Mahama
The 2016 flag bearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party’s plans to court the support of President of Nigeria, General Muhammadu Buhari for his possibly last attempt at equaling the feat of his late father, Sir Edward Akufo-Addo, has suffered a severe setback.
The Ghanaian opposition leader last week, in a long distance telephone conversation with the Nigerian president, had requested the Nigeria President to put pressure on President John Dramani Mahama to get Ghana’s Electoral Commission to compile a new voter register in order to prevent escalation of tension in the run up to elections due in November later this year.
The aL-hAJJ’s Intelligence from Aso Rock (seat of government in Abuja, Nigeria) indicates that the twice defeated presidential candidate also appealed to General Buhari for financial assistance to prosecute his campaign as he is confident of winning the November 7 elections.
“Nana Addo has been in touch with General Buhari on a wide range of issues including appeal for financial assistance for his campaign. He has also been talking to him (General Buhari) to put in a word to convince President Mahama to compel Ghana’s EC to change the current voter register,” a flawless source told this paper.
But, the Nigerian strong man, according to our source, diplomatically turned down both requests, leaving Nana Akufo-Addo shattered and crestfallen.
Meanwhile, a source close to the NPP flag bearer, while confirming President Buhari’s rejection of Akufo-Addo’s requests, was nonetheless confident “Nana would surely explore other avenues in furtherance of securing funds for his campaign and will also rely on pseudo civil society groups to put pressure on the EC to grant his wish”.
The Nigeria President is said to have also told Nana Akufo-Addo in the face that he does not want to be seen interfering in not only a sovereign nation’s affairs but also, a close ally such as Ghana; whose relationship with Nigeria dates back to colonial days.
On Nana Akufo Addo's request for campaign funding which has since dwindled due to the rancor in the NPP, General Buhari, The aL-hAJJ gathered, politely advised the Ghanaian opposition leader, who all along has portrayed himself as incorruptible, to look elsewhere because he (Buhari) in principle does not support such “activities” as it makes “you, in the event you are elected remain captive in the hands of such financiers.”
The financial situation of the opposition New Patriotic Party is reported precarious following alleged misappropriation of funds by members of the National Executives and also as a result of infighting which has led to financiers of the party withholding their support.
The NPP financiers, this paper gathered, are convinced the Nana Akufo-Addo-sponsored terror unleashed on the biggest opposition party which led to the suspension of some kingpins of the party has slimmed the chances of the party recapturing power hence, they are not interested in making financial contributions.
The party’s suspended Chairman; Paul Afoko, who is one of the main financiers of the party, recently announced that he will not contribute to the funding of the party’s campaign activities ahead of the upcoming election.
Paul Afoko told Bola Ray on Starr Chat on Starr FM that, the pickup vehicles he purchased was part of his plan for solid campaign activities for the 2016 elections but that plan could only materialize if he was fully at post as the Chairman of the party.
“I’m not buying any more cars. It was all part of a plan; you just don’t throw money at things… you plan. The plan included tooling the party up and if that plan is thrown out of sync or out of gear then…. . Some of them have already been branded in party colors, I’m not saying I will de-brand the vehicles; the jury is out and going forward we’ll see what will happen. I have halted the process of ordering for more,” he noted.
In the midst of its financial woes, the party embarked on a spirited campaign to get the EC to compile a new voter register for the November elections, alleging that the current register is irredeemable bloated.
However, a panel set up by EC to investigate the NPP’s claims of bloated shot down their demand and instead recommended that the election management body audit the current register for the impending election.
Despite this development, the NPP has not given up on its demand for new voter register. The party in recent times has been pushing its rainbow coalition spearheaded by the Let-my-vote-count among other surrogate groups to go after the EC.
Perhaps, having realized these schemes were not yielding the desired results, Nana Akufo-Addo turned to General Buhari for financial bailout and also to pile pressure on President Mahama to persuade the EC to replace the current register.
