Konadu Team Cries Wolf Again

The Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings’s campaign team is increasingly worried with what it alleged to be an elaborate scheme of vote-buying and intimidation of delegates by its main contender, – President John Mills’ campaign team.

Member of Parliament for Lower Manya Krobo, Michael Teye Nyaunu, told Accra-based Joy News that the intimidation is so pervasive that her candidate is having problems getting endorsements for her candidature.

Mrs. Agyemang-Rawlings, as part of conditions for a successful completion of her nomination forms, must have two endorsements by two delegates from each of the 230 constituencies, but Nyaunu maintains the intimidation is so grave that potential delegates are refusing to come public with their endorsements and support for the former First Lady.

That notwithstanding, the MP said the response has, so far, been “favourable”.

“Anybody who they perceive to be among our group is called, and some people just got GH¢4,000 and brand new motorbike, trying to influence them not to continue following Nana Konadu,” he said.

According to him, the monetization is prevalent in the Eastern and Volta Regions, but added that the campaign team is yet to receive reports from the other regions.

His allegations follow earlier allegations that the Mills, campaign team has earmarked a whopping GH¢90, 000 for the primaries, – an allegation that has been rubbished by the President himself, government officials and members of the Mills campaign team.

Mr. Nyaunu told Joy News’ Eric Ahianyo that he would bring evidence of his allegation at an appropriate time.

He contended that the continued intimidation of the followers of Nana Konadu would not work because the ex-first lady has proven her mettle and her capacity to organize and lead the party.

He said they will officially notify the elections committee of the NDC about the brazen bribery and intimidation going on.

The Mills’ campaign team has declined comment on the matter. Meanwhile, regional organizers from three branches of the 31st December Women’s Movement are calling on Nana Konadu to rescind her decision to go against the sitting President in the flagbearership race of the NDC.

According to them, the movement and its leaders have been scorned, and insulted since her decision to contest.

They are predicting a humiliating defeat if she goes ahead. The women organizers made this call at a media briefing in Cape Coast, in the Central Region. The women organizers have vowed to campaign vigorously against the former first lady if she does not, – in their opinion, – stop making the movement unpopular.

Members of the 31st December Women’s Movement in the Central, Western and Bono Ahafo regions have threatened to renounce their membership of the movement if their founder and lifetime President doesn’t listen to popular public opinion, and goes ahead to contest the flag-bearership of the governing party.