Don’t appoint drug peddlers and wee smokers onto campaign team – P.C Appiah Ofori urges NPP

New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Asikuma Odoben Brakwa in the Central Region, Paul Collins Appiah Ofori has suggested that the NPP should recruit only credible people into the party’s election 2012 campaign team. 

P.C Appiah Ofori said it will be in the interest of the NPP to appoint members or people who are selfless, dignified, with untainted reputations and command respect to form a campaign team if the party intends to win the 2012 elections.

He explained that people who are tagged as wee smokers or drug peddlers should not be made part of a core campaign team because they are not credible enough to conduct clean campaigns for total victory in any elections.

He adds that if people cast in the mold of Deputy Information Minister, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Deputy Minister of Finance, Fifi Kwetey, who he describes as disrespectful and lousy are added to any party’s campaign team, then it is fighting a losing battle.

The outspoken MP was speaking to Frimpong Manso Adakabre on Dwaso Nsem on Adom FM in reaction to recent comments from several quarters that the NPP’s newly appointed 35-member campaign team for the 2012 elections is comprised of old people who have run out of ideas.

Mr. Appiah Ofori said the issue is not about whether they are old or young but is about people who have the capability to garner more votes for the NPP; people who are committed, can deliver and are fully focused on the campaign instead of channeling their energies into unproductive pursuits.

He stated that if a campaign coordinator does not go down to the grassroots or go on a house to house campaign but confines himself to his own territory then that campaign is doomed for failure so more capable people are needed.
P.C. Appiah Ofori opined that the NPP lost the 2008 elections due to unwarranted and abusive comments from some campaign coordinators.

He cited the former DCE for Asikuma Odoben Brakwa, Emmanuel Agyei Doomson who he claimed prior to the NPP’s Presidential Primaries in 2007 insulted Nana Akufo-Addo calling him a wee smoker but was given funds to campaign for the flag bearer in the 2008 elections questioning how such a person could be seen as credible or believable or could be expected to embark on a successful election.  

Mr. Appiah Ofori said this caused the NPP’s heavy defeat in the Central region where the party lost eight seats out of the 16 seats it won in the 2004 elections.

Meanwhile, the former Director for Communications for Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2008 elections, Dr. Kobina Arthur Kennedy said criticizing the composition of the campaign team is not strange, because the same thing happened during his time.

He however asked that party supporters exercise restraint since the campaign will not be done solely by the 35- member team but will involve every member to ensure total victory for the party.

Story: Akuamoah Boateng/Adom FM/Ghana