Minister ‘chased’ out from presidential convoy

Credible information gathered by The Enquirer has it that Mr. Alhassan Azong, the People’s National Convention (PNC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South, suffered a huge jolt when he decided to accompany President John Dramani Mahama on his ‘Accounting to the people’ tour in the Upper East Region.

Angry supporters of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the constituency are up in arms with the MP, demanding that he leaves the presidential convoy, following his show of disregard toward the president.

Mr. Azong is also a Minister of State in charge of Public Sector Reforms, through the magnanimity of President John Mahama.

He has, however, failed to reciprocate the gesture of the President, claiming that his appointment was based on some sort of agreement between the NDC and the PNC.

Azong is on record to have called on the electorate to ignore President Mahama and instead vote for the PNC Flag bearer, Dr. Edward Mahama, boasting that his loyalty is not in the President but rather in the state.

It is against this backdrop that the angry NDC supporters are at the tails of Mr. Azong, pointing out that his claims that he is answerable to the state and not the President, is a good cause for him to have resigned long ago.

President John Mahama is in the Upper East Region as part of his “Accounting to the People” tour, but information gathered by Enquirer sources indicates that there was tension and anger when some of the supporters spotted Mr. Azong among the

President’s entourage at Fumbisi, a community in the Builsa South constituency.
The angry supporters, who were holding placards, surged forward in a bid to stop the minister from following the President, but were prevented by security details.

The paper learnt that the ensuing confrontations could have been nastier had the security not being timely.

The supporters wondered why Mr. Azong could muster courage to join the convoy after snubbing the President on countless occasions, claiming that his loyalty is not in the president but the state.

The furious NDC supporters accused the incumbent MP and Minister of State in charge of Public Sector Reforms of being an ingrate and a betrayer for endorsing his PNC presidential candidate, Dr. Edward Mahama, and snubbing the President, John Mahama, ahead of the presidential poll slated for this November.

Mr. Azong, who is gunning for a third term in parliament, faces a stiff opposition in the person of Dr. Clement Apaak, a presidential staffer and Director of the Citizens’ Complaints Unit at the Office of the President, in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Dr. Apaak, who was also spotted in the presidential entourage, however, looked composed and poised for action.

Many pundits have tipped Apaak to snatch the seat from the embattled Mr. Azong, come the D-day.