No candidate was coerced to withdraw - Odoi-Sykes

Samuel Odoi-Sykes, the out-going Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) on Saturday, denied that some contestants, who wanted to vie for the national executive positions, were coerced or ordered to withdraw from the race.

He said, "I wish to take this opportunity to dismiss the wild rumours and uncharitable allegations of ethnicity and manipulation in today's elections.

"I am not aware of any member of the party, who has been coerced or ordered to withdraw from the elections.”, Odoi-Sykes told the National Delegates' Congress of the party at Legon, where 21 candidates contested for various executive positions.

Thirty-eight applicants who initially filed they application to compete for the positions were screened and cut down to 21.

He said some of those disqualified were genuine party members, whose nomination papers were not in order and there were some, who were infiltrators because they have no previous association with the party and were coming in now that it was in power.

Any serious and dedicated candidate, who was desirous to participate in the election, could politely decline a suggestion to withdraw, he said.

It was during the three-year tenure of Odoi-Sykes that the NPP won political power to form the current government. His term of office expires on Monday August 27 and he has decided not to seek re-election.

"The NPP is a national party and embraces all and sundry, regardless of ethnic affiliations, creed or colour. We are ready to welcome men and women young and old, who are genuinely interested in politicking with us for democratic advancement of this country".

"The NPP wrested power from the incumbent government in free and fair elections. All Party members and supporters all over the country must share in the pride and joy of that victory."

Odoi-Sykes said the party, apart from being in power for only eight months, could not satisfy all the expectation of Ghanaians although it was doing well despite problems inherited from the previous government.

"The Kufuor administration inherited a country with a badly battered and stagnant economy, a collapsing national currency, widespread poverty and rampant corruption".

He said he government "is effectively tackling the problems with a laudable sense of realism and courage. The evidence is there for all impartial observers to see."

"Whatever the cynics are saying now, we are confident that at the end of the four years, Ghanaians will have enough evidence and reason to give President Kufuor and the NPP another term to continue the good work".

In another development Odoi-Sykes told the party's delegates congress on Saturday that the decision not to seek re-election was his own.

“I did not want to stretch my luck too far. If one stays too long in the gambling house one might lose all the wins."

The Outgoing Chairman was reacting to reports that he had been made to step down because of political horse-trading.

He said he decided to follow the footsteps of his predecessors B.J Da Rocha and Peter Ala Adjetey, who did not seek re-election.