A former Ashanti Regional Minister John Alexander Ackun believes party functionaries currently creating controversy and casting insinuations at former president John Dramani Mahama in the media are trying to thrive on such attacks to be popular.

He cited former Member of Parliament (MP) for Yunyoo constituency in the Northern region, Joseph Bipoba Naabu as one of those who is not known in the party but has decided to generate series of controversies in order to gain some popularity.

“Kwame until he started criticizing the party did you know or hear anything about him? These are party members who want to use controversies to be popular and I think it is not good for our discourse”, he said on Kumasi-based Abusua Fm.

While observing that the outburst of members could be genuine, he said the timing is wrong indicating that members should rather focus on helping the Dr Kwesi Botchway led committee to investigate circumstances that culminated into the party’s disgraceful defeat.

“The timing for these criticisms is wrong. What I expect party members to do is introspection and I will advise those who are loud in the media that it is too early for the open criticisms…. This is the period of introspection. Let us allow the committee to do its work towards the reorganization of the party”, he advised.

According to him, the committee has a mandate and until they make public their findings, it is needless for party members to engage in media war especially when they each have an opportunity to contribute to the committee’s work.

On former president John Mahama return in 2020, he said the report by the Dr Kwesi Botchway will determine who will be the rightful candidate to lead the party but said “Mahama is intelligent, knowledgeable, internationally accepted, has that appeal and stands tall but in democracy everyone can contest”

Mr Ackun however believes that the former president is a very credible candidate but cautioned against the attacks on his personality stating that he will enhance the chances of the party in 2020 should he contest.