Fallout from NPP Ashanti Regional Conference

KUFUOR`s MAGIC FAILS… Escapes hooting by hair`s breadth

by Bismark Bebli -

Intelligence information gathered by The Chronicle indicates that former President John Agyekum Kufuor escaped the wrath and anger of some of the delegates who attended the just ended Ashanti regional congress of the party by the hair's breadth, following his last hour decision not to meet delegates who had allegedly been camped at some of the hotels in Kumasi.

According to our sources, the former President, who was in the region four clear days before the conference, was to meet with the 'camped delegates' at various hotels, namely True Vine, Chrystal Rose and Saliftex Hotels, to prevail upon them to vote for candidates who reportedly have an allegiance towards Mr. Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, a former Minister of Trade and Industry and a presidential hopeful.

The Chronicle was told that when the 'master plan', allegedly spearheaded by a former Minister from the region leaked, some of the party gurus who were not happy with the development, mobilized themselves and laid ambush at the various hotels, with the intention of hooting at the former President should he turn up to address the delegates. Fortunately, some of Mr. Kufuor's right hand men picked up the information and quickly relayed it to him, which forced the former President to abandon the meeting.

The Chronicle intelligence sources further established that though the former President failed to attend the meeting; he managed to talk to the 'camped delegates' on phone to vote for his preferred candidates at the conference. Each of the delegates were reportedly given GH¢200, but The Chronicle could not establish whether the said money came from Mr. Kufuor or not.

At midday yesterday, information filtering in from Kumasi indicated that agents of Mr. Kyerematen, were locked up in a close-door meeting at Georgia hotel with some of the delegates, demanding among other, the refund of monies and reasons why their preferred candidates could not win the elections, despite what went into the campaigning.

After results of the elections were declared, the immediate past regional chairman, Mr. Yaw Amankwa, could not believe what had happened to his fortunes. Dr. Richard Anane, the former Minister for Roads and Transport and one of the ardent supporters of Mr. Alan Kyerematen, was speechless for close to 30minutes, this paper learnt.

The NPP's final regional congress which took place last Monday in the Ashanti region amidst heavy police protection, has now paved the way for the party to organize their national congress to elect new national executives.

Meanwhile, whilst agents of Mr. Kufuor were working behind the scenes, his former chief of staff in government, Mr. Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani, also frequented the ballot booth erected at the conference hall on several occasions. Mr. Mpiani reportedly voted three times, but his attempt to go in for the forth time was thwarted by the Electoral officers. According to our information, the former Minister first voted as a patron of the party, second as a founding member and thirdly as a proxy for the former President, Mr. Kufuor.