Spio Garbrah calls for NDC to go NPP way

Even before the July primary to elect a new leader for the National Democratic Congress is held, one of the contestants is accusing party executives of plotting to retain the sitting president, John Mills at all cost, insisting the party should have gone the way of the New Patriotic Party.

Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah is unimpressed with the 3,000 or so delegates to be camped in Sunyani for purposes of voting for a flagbearer.

He is convinced the system is prone to corruption and intimidation and queried party executives for not going the NPP way.

The NPP increased the number of delegates from 3,000 to 115,000 for their primary in which votes were cast simultaneously at the various constituencies all over the country to elect Nana Akufo-Addo to lead the party in 2012.

Speaking to Joy News’ Kweku Obeng Adjei at the residence of Mr. Rawlings, where he had sought the ‘blessings’ of the party founder, Dr. Garbrah stated emphatically that the quest for president John Mills to win at all cost must have blinded the NDC from going the NPP way.

“Those who want the current president to win at all cost are simply, as it were, presenting the congress in a manner that favours the incumbent. Only 3,000 plus people, who can be put into a room; who can be counted; who can be influenced; who can be intimidated and they vote in a certain way.

“But they say the people of Ghana are not watching; the people of Ghana did not see NPP go to a 115,000 people. So who are we deceiving?” he quizzed.

The former vice chairman of the party said the need to clarify issues most of which have led to needless attack on his reputation led him to contest the flagbearership position, stating, his campaign will be based on truth.

“As Ghanaians get to know more and more about the truth they will realize that Spio-Garbrah’s time may have come,” he said, stating emphatically that being a president is not only about the title but the ability to transform the country within a short period.

But a deputy information Minister Baba Jamal said the former Vice Chairman of the party has been untruthful to himself and the party at large.

According to him, he, Spio-Garbrah was part of the Tamale congress in which it was agreed that only a little over 3,000 delegates would elect a flagbearer. He is surprised that he, [Spio-Garbrah] having been part of the process, will now turn around and accuse party executives of not expanding the number of delegates.

“For Dr Spio-Garbrah who claims that he is going to contest on truth. From the very onset he is not telling the public the truth.

“He is talking about the number of delegates; he has been part of the process of reviewing our constitution. He was a member of the party; we all went to Tamale; we all sent petitions to the Constitutional Review Committee; they reviewed our petitions. We all knew these were the number of delegates,” he said.

On the allegations of intimidation and bribery being leveled against the Mills administration, the deputy Minister said accusations are only but a litany of half truths with no basis or foundation.

He said the allegations are so discredited that the people who were peddling them could not prove anything in a petition they sent to the party office.

Meanwhile, Ex-president Rawlings had made damning allegations that the party is up for sale to the highest bidder.

But Jamal maintained the allegations are unfounded.

Source: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana