The Ashanti Regional Council of Elders of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has issued a strong call for decorum and a focus on substantive issues in the ongoing campaign for the party's 2028 presidential flagbearer race.

Expressing concern over what they described as "grave developments" in the campaign, including pronouncements and utterances by some aspirants and their teams, the elders urged a more respectful and unified approach.

In a press statement signed by Victor Owusu, the council's secretary, several "no-go areas" for campaigners were outlined. These include the use of insulting language, sectional campaigning, defamatory attacks, and any actions that could harm the party or provide ammunition to opponents ahead of the 2028 elections.

Instead, the Council of Elders emphasized their support for campaigns that demonstrate mutual respect, prioritize party unity, uphold the values of the NPP, and focus on candidates' ideas and vision for the party and the country.

The council concluded by noting that it will be closely monitoring the campaigns of all aspiring flagbearers to ensure adherence to these principles.

Read their full statement below:

We, the members of the NPP Ashanti Regional Council of Elders, deem it of paramount importance to the internal competition by five of our party members who have filed nominations to bear the flag of the party for the 2028 Presidential Elections.

However, the above stated notwithstanding, we of the Ashanti Regional Council of Elders, have noted with pain and distress certain grave developments relating to the campaigning in terms of pronouncements and utterances by some Presidential flagbearer Aspirants and their Campaign teams spearheaded by spokespersons, Directors of Campaigns and other apparatchik.

We are of the strongest conviction that, as Elders of the party, it is our impinging responsibility to step in and demand sanity in the conduct of the people involved in the flagbearer campaign.

The Ashanti Regional Council of Elders would like to itemise the inappropriate statements that should be no-go areas for campaigners.

1. Campaigners should refrain from using insulting language directed at any of the Aspiring flagbearers.

2. No Campaigning based on sectionalism

3. No Defamatory attacks on each other

4. No kind of campaigning that will self-destruct our party and offer ammunition to our opponents in 2028.

We, the NPP Ashanti Regional Council of Elders, would embrace and support campaigns that:

1. Gives respect to one another

2. Is mindful of the unity of the party

3. Portrays the values of our party, traceable from our forebears.

4. A campaign that is anchored on the ideas and vision of candidates for the party and country.

We of the NPP Ashanti Regional Council of Elders, would conclude by saying that we will follow the campaign of every aspiring flagbearer with eagle eyes.

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