The Methuselah's in the NDC should stop humiliating the party - Akyena Brentuo

Benjamin Akyena Bretuo

A Presidential staffer, Benjamin Akyena Brentuo is incensed about what he describes as the uproar in the party following the nomination of the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur as Vice-President.

He said branding Amisah-Arthur as an 'alien' in the party could send wrong signals to people who intend to vote for the NDC ahead of the December general elections.

“Our main focus is to win into the party new members including the opposition and not to preach to the choir. How do you expect new members in the party to feel any time we keep preaching to them that they are visitors” he added.

Akyena Brentuo's outcry comes after the President Mahama's choice of a Vice President was met with severe criticisms from the rank and file of the ruling party who claim his [Arthur] nomination could derail their chances of retaining power in December.

Mr. Amissah-Arthur who is due for Parliamentary vetting on Monday beat NDC apparatchiks like Dr. Kwesi Botchwey, Kwesi Ahwoi, Hannah Tetteh, Victor Smith, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo who are well known in the party.

But speaking on Asempa FM Ekosii Sen programme Friday, Akyena Bretuo indicated that it is becoming a precedent in the NDC that once someone is not part of the founding fathers he or she cannot contest a higher office in the party.

He posited that a major problem which has deepened the cracks in the NDC is the issue about who was there when the party was formed.

“Sometimes this particular truth embarrasses us publicly. Many of the fights in the NDC is about who was there when the party was being formed. How do you expect four million people be present when you are forming a party” he quizzed.

He said a lot of people have been hounded down by the Methuselah's in the party who claim they are latter day saints.

“People have been hounded down including the late President Mills about when they joined the NDC. Certain Ministers of State have also been attacked yet these same people are doing it to Mr. Amissah-Arthur”.

Akyena Brentuo wondered why a party seeking to retain power in just four months to election would be divided because a preferred candidate was not chosen.

He urged the party's National Executives to take steps to correct the erroneous impression in the party that Mr. Amissah-Arthur is not a grass-root person.

“Until we get people to speak to it directly, we are never going to move forward as a political party,” Akyena warned.