In Ghana, the presidential candidate of the opposition United Front Party (UFP) has denied reports he has been removed as leader of the party ahead of the December general election.
“We have about 51 members as our national executive and only three people are making this assertion. So, it is neither here nor there,” said Akwasi Addae.
Addae insisted he is the party’s legitimate presidential candidate, despite what he calls are the attempts by a few disgruntled members to undermine his chances in the run-up to the polls.
But, the national chairman of the UFP, Nana Agyenim Boateng, said the party’s national executives unanimously voted to remove its presidential candidate. Boateng said he has officially petitioned the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the party’s candidate for the December poll.
“I am presenting this to the electoral commission to have him removed. Article 6 of our constitution says that anybody that [undermines] the image of the party, such a person ceases to be a member of the party,” Boateng said.
But, in defiance, Addae maintains that he will lead the party in the December vote. He said those seeking to remove him as presidential candidate for the vote are not being loyal to the party.
Addae said the party’s future success would be undermined if senior officials force the group into a coalition with other parties in the run-up to the poll.
“What is the picture that they want [to send] to Ghanaians, that we came but we couldn’t survive, and so we are trying to align ourselves to be in bed with a political party, which is recognized? We have to start from somewhere and build [this] party onwards and upwards,” said Addae.
“Our ideology doesn’t [conform] to theirs," he added. "If we are socially inclined, for example, and then we are trying to bed with another political party, which doesn’t see to address pertinent issues confronting Ghanaians, why do we have to go with such a party?”
“We have about 51 members as our national executive and only three people are making this assertion. So, it is neither here nor there,” said Akwasi Addae.
Addae insisted he is the party’s legitimate presidential candidate, despite what he calls are the attempts by a few disgruntled members to undermine his chances in the run-up to the polls.
But, the national chairman of the UFP, Nana Agyenim Boateng, said the party’s national executives unanimously voted to remove its presidential candidate. Boateng said he has officially petitioned the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the party’s candidate for the December poll.
“I am presenting this to the electoral commission to have him removed. Article 6 of our constitution says that anybody that [undermines] the image of the party, such a person ceases to be a member of the party,” Boateng said.
But, in defiance, Addae maintains that he will lead the party in the December vote. He said those seeking to remove him as presidential candidate for the vote are not being loyal to the party.
Addae said the party’s future success would be undermined if senior officials force the group into a coalition with other parties in the run-up to the poll.
“What is the picture that they want [to send] to Ghanaians, that we came but we couldn’t survive, and so we are trying to align ourselves to be in bed with a political party, which is recognized? We have to start from somewhere and build [this] party onwards and upwards,” said Addae.
“Our ideology doesn’t [conform] to theirs," he added. "If we are socially inclined, for example, and then we are trying to bed with another political party, which doesn’t see to address pertinent issues confronting Ghanaians, why do we have to go with such a party?”
