General News of Sunday, 26 January 2014

Source: radioxyzonline

NPP race: Kufuor doesn’t support Alan

Former President John Kufuor does not support any of the Candidates vying for the Flagbearer slot of the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), party Chairman Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey has said.

Mr Kufuor has always been alleged to support twice-failed flagbearer aspirant Alan Kyeremanten against twice-defeated NPP flagbearer Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The former President’s alleged support for the former Trades Minister and failed Director-General aspirant of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has led to factionalism (Kufuor and Akufo-Addo camps) in the party, according to pollster Ben Ephson.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey, however, said on Saturday that Mr Kufuor has told him (Jake) personally that he is not leading or supporting any faction in the party.

“If you say that President Kufuor is leading a faction, I’m not aware of it…and he’s told me that he’s not getting involved anymore; that previously even when he wasn’t involved people had been using his name and slandering him and that he’s going to keep out of it. He’s told me that he’s not supporting any candidate”.

Pressed further by Host Kwesi Pratt Jr., as to whether he believed Mr Kufuor’s claim that he is neither leading nor supporting any faction within the party, Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said: “oh why would I fail to believe my former President and my friend. It would be the height of disrespect”.