Mr Hassan Ayariga
Some members of the People’s National Convention (PNC) is asking the leadership of the party to call the party’s flagbearer to order or force him to step down.
Mr Hassan Ayariga has been accused of being an appendage of the governing NDC.
National Youth Organiser of the party, Abu Ramadan, who is leading the charge, in an interview with Evans Mensah on Joy FM’s Top Story Thursday, cited Wednesday’s IEA’s Presidential Debate saying Mr Ayariga’s interest on the day seemed more of attacking the NPP rather than convincing Ghanaians to vote for the PNC.
“We want the party leadership at NEC to call him (Hassan Ayariga) to order. If not, the question people have started asking is, will he himself Hassan Ayariga vote for himself on December 7, considering the way he is going about things, will he vote for himself on December 7? Whom does he want to vote for him if people are not sure that he will even cast a vote for himself on December 7?”
According to Mr Abu Ramadan, the candidate should have exposed the shortcomings of the government, and persuade voters to unseat the government.
He also lamented that his flag-bearer failed to highlight on issues that would bring votes to the party, but rather developed interest in things that would boost the votes of the ruling party as he kept making references to the positive things done by the government.
He agreed with critiques who claimed Mr Ayariga turned the serious debate into a comical encounter.
“The question is that, what has he seen wrong, otherwise of this NDC that he wants to take over if all he knows is an attack on the NPP, a co-opposition party who also seeks to annex the leadership of this country just as we do?
“He has become a comical reliever rather than a serious candidate for president.”
He also accused the flag-bearer of refusing to provide the needed support to the 94 parliamentary candidates of the party contesting the December elections.
But the General Secretary of the PNC, Bernard Monarh was rather disappointed in the youth organiser for using the media to address what he believed should have been tackled internally.
He said his action has injured the party’s constitution that enjoins them to protect the party’s interest. He explained that both his action and that of the Mr Ayariga, whom they are complaining of, do not augur well for the party.
He disclosed that the intention of the group to call for the head of Mr Ayariga was planned days before the debate, and was therefore wrong, he said, to cite his performance at Wednesday to back their demand.
According to Mr Bernard Monarh, side-stepping the party’s internal resolution platform shows disrespect to the party and disrespect to the chairman of the party who happens to be his, Abu Ramadan’s, father.
meanwhile, Salifu Iddrisu who is contesting the Tamale Central constituency has complained about the lack of logistics to execute the campaign.
He told Joy News the actions of Mr Hassan Ayariga “will have a toll” on party’s parliamentary candidates.
The PNC holds the Sissala West and the Builsa South constituencies. But the fear is that the party’s internal crisis may affect its ability to retain the seats.
A political scientist lecturer with the University of Ghana Dr. Bossman Asare believes the confusion in the camp of a party founded by former President Dr. Hilla Liman will affect the fortunes of the party.
Meanwhile, a member of the party’s council of elders, George Luri Bayorbor George told Top Story an emergency meeting would be called on Saturday to discuss and resolve the issues raised.
Play the attached audio to listen to the various submissions on Top Story