Road To Castle Tussle: Apraku Spits Fire

* Too many opportunistic aspirants among us
* There would be no energy shortfall under me
* Ask delegates to discount his Ashanti background

Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, one of the numerous presidential hopefuls of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has questioned the seriousness of some of his party members who are clamouring for the party's presidential slot for the 2008 general election, asking party delegates to reject those he described as opportunists.

The one-time Minister for Regional Integration and NEPAD says most of the candidates seeking to lead the party to the 2008 presidential election are not deep-rooted Danquah-Busia loyalists.

In an interview with the GYE NYAME CONCORD Monday, he said some of them (aspirants) are only elements who want to reap what they have not sown, wondering how people with no political track records expect delegates to make them presidential candidates.

Dr. Apraku maintained that he supports the view expressed by the Senior Minister, Mr. J. H. Mensah at the party’s National Delegates Conference in Koforidua last January that the demand for the presidency was not a mere contest anybody could jump at.

Without mentioning names, he said it is interesting to see the high number of party members declaring their intentions to contest the presidential slot when there could not be more than ten candidates during the 1992 primaries, charging delegates to use strong criteria to scrutinize aspirants critically before voting for them.

Dr Apraku outlined a number of criteria that delegates must look for in choosing their leader, pointing out that such a person must demonstrate competence, dedication, loyalty and commitment to the general well-being of the party.

“We have come to a point in governance where managing and administrating a country cannot be entrusted in the care of just anybody”, he said

For him, the flagbearer of the main opposition NDC, Prof. Evans Atta Mills, by all standards, is a major force to reckon with. “Due to this, we need a marketable candidate who appeals to the electorate and possesses a rich political experience”.

Singing his praises, he pointed out that “I have such records that puts me in the best shoes to match Prof. Mills come the December 2008 general elections.”

According to him, his experience stretches from his position as an MP for 10 years and as a Minister of State for five years, stressing that in Parliament, he has championed the economic and financial policies of the party in the House and has also been in the forefront during political campaigns and rallies.

Dr Apraku insisted that it’s such people of political astuteness who should take the party to the next level, maintaining that the high number of people contesting to lead the party is an indication of the level of opportunism on the part of some members, who only desire to ride on the gains made by the present government.

Addressing delegates and party executives of selected constituencies in the Greater Accra Region on the same day, he asked them to vote for a peace broker with the quality to unify the party at all times.

He told the executives to acknowledge the pivotal role he played in drafting the economic campaign message which culminated in ousting the NDC out of power in 2000.

At the Okaikoi South Constituency, he promised to introduce the use of ICT into the production of Agriculture, saying that when given the nod he would ensure that Ghana competes with the Chinese industry.

Again, he said he has what it takes to solve the energy crisis currently facing the nation and would ensure that the country never experiences energy shortfall under his tenure.

To achieve this, he told party supporters at Ablekuma central that he would build dams in all the regions of the country under his administration as president and that delegates should not consider his tribe since he would be present of Ghana and not to Ashanti'