Kyerematen's running mate -Joe Ghartey?

Arthur Tackles Kufuor Alan

Great bales of vapour are snaking down the nostrils of Mr. Kwesi Arthur, the complainant in the case against presidential aspirant, Alan Kyerematen, whose petition to the Commission was thrown out, at the say so of Alan's prospective running mate, Hon. Joe Ghartey, Minister of Justice and Attorney General.

A member of the Greater Accra Regional Finance Committee and former regional treasurer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Kwesi Arthur, says tomorrow's flagbearership contest of the party, is going to be between President Kufuor and the NPP as a party, which should lead to a massive thumbs down for the President for his unethical conduct.

"The President should not think we are kids, for him to pretend that he does not support any candidate. He knows, and we know, he supports Alan Kyerematen. So we the members of the NPP now know that the battle at Congress on Saturday is going to be between the president's candidate and party candidates," Mr. Arthur told The Chronicle in an interview.

He alleged that the President had been speaking to party delegates, to convince them to vote for Alan Kyerematen. "The President should know that the people he has been speaking to, are NPP and not NDC people, and so anything he tells them gets to we, the people, who have suffered for the party and even helped him to become flagbearer of the party and eventually, President of the nation," Arthur, who was visibly worried about what he said, was open support by the President for Alan, noted.

On the basis of what he said, on what was the President's secret but massive support for Alan, he warned that if Alan Kyerematen won the flagbereship race, on Saturday, it will be a victory for Mr. Kufuor and not the NPP.

"The President wants to behave as if the party is his property. If that is what he thinks, then he should be made aware, that some of us have resolved that if Alan wins, we will leave the party for him (Kufuor) and his family to run. Again, if Alan wins, some of us are going to campaign against the NPP and if the NPP loses, we will see if the President can stay in this country," he threatened.

Mr. Arthur alleged that the President was in the Brong Ahafo Region, on Monday, to meet delegates and campaign for Alan, and was in the Ashanti Region on Tuesday also, to do the same there.

"Some of us were the people, who helped the president to win the contest for flagbearer of the party in 1998. I, together with Alhaji COP, was in charge of the delegates of the northern sector of the country for Mr. Kufuor. I worked for him and that's why I am surprised about what he is doing now," he said.

The former key campaigner for President Kufuor's flagbearerhip of the party in 1998 said Mr. Kyerematen has no solid track record, on the basis of, which he can be said to be a viable presidential candidate of the party.

"I am again surprised, about why the President is supporting him, after he himself said in Parliament, one day, that the President's Special Initiative, he had put under the care of Alan was not doing well. How can you turn round and support someone, who could not even handle your own initiative?" he asked.

Mr. Arthur charged that an Alan victory would be disastrous for NPP, and would be tantamount to handing over power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) on a silver platter.

He observed that the NDC was just waiting for Alan to win, so that they can start raising controversial issues like, the failure of the various PSIs, as against the billions of money that have been pumped into that sector, as well as issues surrounding the controversial sale of Ghana's US mission buildings, when Alan was Ghana's Ambassador to the US.

"We have suffered for the party, and we can't allow the President to behave as though the party is his personal property," he intimated. He said he has known Kufuor before the NPP, and was with him in the Progress Party days, and he (Kufuor) knows better than to tangle with him.

He repeated his claim that he would definitely go to court, reminding Hon. Joe Ghartey that if he thinks the case is dead, then he should think again.

Asked whether Kufuor had contacted him about his case against Alan, he said he knew him well enough, since 1969 Progress Party days, not to mess with him, but said the President had only raised the issue of the sanctity and integrity of the party with him, and did not discuss the case with him at all.