NPP CONGRESS WILL NOT BE FREE & FAIR

Prof. Frimpong Boateng, NPP

PROFFESSOR Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, one of the presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has accused the leadership of the party of making the moves to direct the results of Saturday's Congress a particular direction. According to him, the executives were trying to woo the delegates to vote in a certain way, warning that the decision would be a recipe for chaos.

He regretted that a party that is touted as being adherent to democratic principles,   would now use foul means to coerce delegates to dance to their tune, when indeed, no credible and scientific survey had been conducted to prove that the particular    candidate would generally be accepted by Ghanaians.

'For example, if the party has conducted a scientific survey that suggested that a particular candidate is generally accepted by Ghanaians, and the leadership of the party thinks that they should vote for that person, I would support it.

Should the survey prove that it is either me or whoever, the executive of the party could call a meeting and let us know, but for now, there is no scientific survey, I therefore think that the way and the manner the leadership of the party is making sure that the Saturday's elections go in a particular direction, is a recipe for disaster,' he told The Chronicle in an interview in Accra yesterday.

Prof. Frimpong Boateng, a renowned heart surgeon and former Chief Executive Officer of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, said, 'There are indications that the congress is not going to be free and fair. I don't think that what the topmost of the party is doing is the best,' he intoned.

The former CEO, who believes that delegates, as well as Ghanaians, had bought his message, this told this reporter that for the NPP to win back power, the party needed a candidate who would be accepted by all Ghanaians, saying, 'what Ghanaians may think of the candidate, may be different from what the delegates think.

If the NPP wants to win power in 2012, then the party must look beyond and select a candidate who would be generally accepted by the whole country.'

He contended that should there be any credible polls conducted by credible institutions which indicated that candidate A is generally accepted, he would be ready to back such a candidate, to allow the party win power.

According to Prof. Frimpong Boateng, during his campaign tour of the country, the delegates told him that he was the best among all the aspirants, and that if he was elected, the party would win the 2012 general elections.

'I have done enough, and if the party wants power, I think I am the best choice. The delegates have told me, and indicated to me that it would be easy for me to be marketed.'

To him, when questions are posed to Ghanaians to whether they prefer having a visa to travel outside the shores of Ghana, or to stay, they responded that they would prefer to live outside, on the account that they do not believe their future lies in Ghana.

According to him, the basic problem was leadership, saying, 'The youth don't believe that their future is in this country. It is because of bad leadership, and the nation is crying for a credible leader who will change the lives of Ghanaians,' he said.