General News of Wednesday, 11 December 2013

Source: peacefmonline.com

Apraku accused of misusing Akufo-Addo’s 2008 campaign funds

Former Member of Parliament for the people of Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa, P.C. Appiah-Ofori is accusing Kofi Konadu Apraku of engineering the defeat of Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2008 general elections, when he (Apraku) as campaign manager, misused funds given him by the party to run Nana Addo’s campaign.

Dr. Apraku, addressing a group of past graduates from Tertiary institutions of the NPP in Kumasi, asserted that the party's leaders deserve to be changed and purportedly called for a possible revolution if only the NPP hopes to win power, come 2016.

He averred that, after two successive defeats, there is the need for a re-election to "diagnose the causes of the defeat rather than to dream to lead the party again."

But commenting on the statement made by the former campaign manager of Nana Akufo-Addo in the 2008 election, the anti-corruption crusader, on Hot Fm, bemoaned the sad position of some members of NPP who he accused of ganging up against the good intention of Nana Addo to make free SHS Education Policy possible for the poor people in the country.

He warned NPP members against the use of factionalism as a means to win internal power, as these tactics, he said, will inure to the benefit of the party and could lead to the chances of the NPP forming the next government, impossible.

Touching on the two electoral defeats suffered by Nana Akufo-Addo at the hands of the National Democratic Congress (NDC),Appiah Ofori blamed the first setback on Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku who was the party’s campaign manager in 2008, accusing him (Apraku) of misappropriating monies meant for the campaign.

“……Apraku, you were the campaign manager in 2008, what happened to the monies which were meant for the campaign?…..our defeat in 2008 election was caused by you because nobody knows what you used the money for…Don’t you feel ashamed to condemn Akufo-Addo when you are the cause of his defeat?...you stand there to talk thrash about Nana Addo; nonsense…Nana Akufo-Addo will stand again for the presidency and anybody who thinks otherwise of Nana’s decision to stand (as the party’s flagbearer) is stupid,” he fumed.

He reminded those against Nana’s comeback decision not to lose sight of what the late President Mills went through before he became President; suffering two major defeats yet achieved his goal after being propelled to stand on the ticket of the NDC for the third time.

“…those using Nana’s age to measure his ability should come again…President Mugabe of Zimbabwe is 85 years and still remains the President of his country…Ghanaians should consider the qualities in Nana Akufo-Addo and his ability to deliver on his promises,” he stated.