Freddie Blay's comments on endorsing candidates unfortunate - Ohene Ntow

Spokesperson for Alan Kyerematen, Nana Ohene Ntow has described the party's vice chair, Freddie Blay's comments on individuals endorsing a particular candidate as a stab-in-the-back.

Mr. Blay had mentioned that it would be difficult to enforce a law disallowing party executives and parliamentarians to openly declare their support for any candidate of their choice.

The vice chair noted he was not at all surprised that party executives in the Upper East region openly declared their support for Nana Addo.

However, he conceded it runs counter to the directive, which the council settled on and circulated among the party offices in the country.

But speaking on Joy FM's Newsnite Thursday, Ohene Ntow stated it was very unfortunate that a very high official of the party was part of a meeting, which took the decision and turned round to say it would be difficult to implement it.

Asked if he had filed any petition to that effect, Ohene Ntow explained: “If I file the petition now, it has to be dealt with people like Freddie Blay, and if Freddie Blay comes openly to tell you that this law is made more for its breach than its observant; is there any point for me to present the petition to Freddie Blay in the head office, I don't see the point.”

He argued that pursuant to the enforcement of that rules there were also provisions and sanctions for the breach.

He stated that if the rule was not practicable and “we don't need it,” it should be expunged from the party's rules.

“So for me, it is quite sad and it's quite unfortunate that we are telling ourselves in the NPP that we make rules only for purposes of window dressing and that we make these rules and really, we are not in any shape or form ready to enforce them. So why make those rules,” he questioned.

Ohene Ntow who is a former NPP General Secretary continued that it has been an issue and that was why “we have brought it to the public domain because the leadership of the council which is supposed to deal with this matter appears quite impotent.”

For the purposes of establishing the principle, he said: “We do this discussion for people to know what kind of leadership we're having in this party today. And that clearly, we are setting a very dangerous precedent going forward.”

He urged all observers to take notes and records of recent happenings in the party.

“I don't want to pass judgment so soon. I think we still have the chance to do what is right, being the kind of party that we are; we still do have a chance,” he noted.