Jake takes swipe at critics

Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, NPP Nat'l Chair

THE NATIONAL chairman of the main opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey has dared presidential aspirants who accused the leadership of the party of plans to rig the election in favour of a particular candidate, to produce evidence to support their claims.

According to him, it is unthinkable that people within the party would accuse the national executive of hatching plans to rig the elections.

He however admitted that leaders of the party may have their preferences, but there was no plan to stampede the democratic credentials of the NPP. 'I don't see how the upcoming congress can be rigged. It is totally unfortunate,' he told this paper yesterday in his office, after he addressed a conference on the impending congress scheduled for Saturday.

'If they make the accusations with specific examples then we would have course to investigate, but if it is a generalized sweeping allegation without any evidence, then what can we do. We are seriously focusing on Saturday's congress and I can assure everybody that it would be free, fair and credible,' he said.

Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey indicated that to the best of the ability of the leadership of the party, they have followed the laid down procedures and urged any person who has any reservation to approach them for redress. 'As we speak, all concerns have been addressed,' he emphasized.

Mr. Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey further noted that it was not beyond any Aspirant to monitor the polls across the country tally his own results from all the various constituencies.

The NPP capo, who did not want to go into the nitty-gritty of Prof. Frimpong Boateng's accusations that the congress would not be fairly conducted, asserted that 'he (Prof. Frimpong Boateng) has denied saying what he was reported to have said.'

Earlier in his address at the press conference, Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey held the notion that the NPP is billed to make history when they go for the primaries in all but two of the constituencies of the country, to select a flagbearer for the 2012 presidential elections.

According to him, the upcoming congress will be historic for at least one reason, saying 'For the first time in the political history of Ghana and Africa, party delegates in 230 constituencies across one country will hold separate contests to select a presidential candidate for a general election,' adding that the NPP is about to assert its reputation as ground breakers in Ghana's quest for true democracy.

'In August 2009, we made fundamental reforms in the way we select our leaders and our candidates for national elections. The reforms were motivated by the party's desire to give power to our grassroot members and to deepen internal democracy.'

He said the new arrangements have been used to elect their polling station officers, electoral area coordinators, constituency executives, regional executives and national executives, stressing that on Saturday the party would chalk another success in electing a presidential candidate.

'Cumulatively, we are giving practical expression to the power the Party granted its grassroots; and we are proud of that. We are indeed a party of the people and for the people.'

Jake, flanked by the executives of the party ruled out Ablekuma South and Ablekuma North constituencies from the Saturday' elections, because of pending issues.

Extending the leadership's appreciation to the five aspirants, members of parliament, elders and those who contributed to the party, as far as the expansion and organization is concerned, stated that the contribution made so far to make the reforms, is a shining and enviable example for other political parties in Ghana and on the African continent to emulate.

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According to Jake, the achievements have not come without some challenges. The verification of information from the constituencies has created some misunderstanding and suspicion. We are pleased to announce that the knotty issues have been resolved, and we  go into Saturday's contest satisfied that we have made the ground as fair and even as we humanly can,' he said with satisfaction.