Nana Addo appoints Freddie Blay

Freddie Blay, a former Member of Parliament for the Ellembele constituency in the Western Region, has been named among the 35-man campaign team of the opposition New Patriotic Party.

He was part of the group of nine persons nominated by the Presidential Candidate of the NPP for the 2012 elections, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The other nominees by the Presidential Candidate are Alan Kyerematen, Mike Oquaye Snr, Isaac Osei, Hon Cecilia Dapaah, Hon Hakia Alima Mahama, Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, Beno Bismarck and Olivia Quartey.

Freddie Blay has had a long association with the NPP as his political fortunes have largely rode on the back of the party.

He served as the Member of Parliament for the Ellembele constituency from 1996 to 2008. In his 3-term stint as Member of Parliament, the NPP declined to field a parliamentary candidate in the Ellembele constituency and as such aided Freddie Blay, who was already a strong candidate, to win the seat.

His association with the NPP did not end there. During his tenure as MP he served as a 2 nd Deputy Speaker of Parliament and from 2005 to 2008 he served as the 1 st Deputy Speaker of Parliament. He obtained both positions with the nomination and backing of NPP Members of Parliament.

On March 3, 2011, he came public to state that he was no more a member of the Convention People's Party and was amenable to joining the main opposition New Patriotic Party.