OSUDOKU CHIEFS DENY SUPPORT FOR GLORIA AKUFFO

Chiefs in the Osudoku Traditional Council have denied speculations spreading in the constituency they have declared their support for Ms. Gloria Akuffo, Minister for Aviation to become the next Parliamentary candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the area.

According to the chiefs, they have not met to discuss anything about the forthcoming primaries of the NPP, let alone gone further to declare their support for the Aviation Minister or for that matter any of the candidates who have filed their nominations to contest at the party's primaries either in writing or in words.

The reaction of the chiefs comes in the wake of assumptions in the Shai-Osudoku constituency that the chiefs have written a letter to the party's head office to declare their support for the Aviation Minister.

According to the rumour, the supposed letter went further to encourage the National Executive Committee of the party to go ahead and endorse the candidature of the Minister to allow her to become the party's Parliamentary candidate for the area in the 2008 elections because they have confidence in her abilities to perform.

In effect what the letter sought to do was to encourage the Committee to give an unopposed status to Hon. Akuffo to enable her become the party's Parliamentary candidate for the 2008 elections.

A number of the chiefs in the constituency who spoke with the paper in separate interviews expressed shock and astonishment over the said rumour saying they are surprised to be hearing a thing like that in the area.

Even though about 60 percent of the chiefs the paper interviewed indicated that for once, they would wish that their subjects rally behind an NPP parliamentary candidate at least for a change ostensibly to garner development projects for the area, they would not throw their weight behind any particular person.

Speaking on behalf of the chiefs last Thursday, the Mankralo, Nene Tetteh Mankralo Otibo IV pointed out that if some individual chiefs have met somewhere to write a letter and circulated it round thereby creating the impression that chiefs from the traditional area had pledged their support for Hon. Akuffo, then it is unfortunate.

He told The Chronicle in an interview that at the time the rumour was circulating in town the Paramount Chief of the area, Nene Klagbodzor Animle VI who presides over all meetings called by the Council was outside the country meaning such a decision couldn't have been taken.

The Mankralo, who is the Acting paramount chief of the area continued that as chiefs, the constitution did not permit them to dabble in political issues rather it was the duty of the delegates of the party to select one of the three candidates, the Aviation Minister, Hon. Daniel Dugan - Deputy Minister of Women and Children's Affairs and Madam Margaret Sampson to run on the ticket of the party.

Nene Otibo IV stressed that they were prepared to work with any of the three candidates who the party would select to lead them in the 2008 parliamentary elections or as MP for the area, saying they have no favorite among the three candidates, but quickly added that he hoped that NPP will make a more credible choice this time round to make their work easier in the constituency.

Nene Teye Titriku I, Chief of Akuse observed that they, the chiefs in the area have no knowledge of the intentions of Gloria Akuffo to contest the forthcoming primaries and added that even if they were, there was no way they could declare their support for her.

He hinted that the Aviation Minister belonged to the elitist class in society and it was clear that she could not bring herself to the level of the ordinary person in the constituency to enable her win their trust and confidence and transform all that into votes.

According to him, Hon. Akuffo's human relations record was very bad and that if the NPP made the mistake to impose her on the constituency to represent its interest at the parliamentary elections come 2008, then it would be disastrous for the party.

The man who is also the Development chief of the area noted that the electorate in the constituency were looking for someone who is down to earth, approachable and willing to work with them especially, those at the grass roots level.

He explained that his analysis was based on complaints he had been receiving from members of his community about the attitude of the Aviation Minister and how she relates to people in the constituency.

Asked whether he was not speaking that way about Hon. Akuffo because he had an outstanding problem with her, the 70 year old chief had this to say; “Why should a 70 year old man like me lie about something like this, I am just being frank”.

Another chief who pleaded anonymity told the paper that Gloria Akuffo did not have what it takes to win elections in the area because of her human relations record and no matter how many times the NPP decides to give her the nod to contest the seat in the area, she would lose.

Ms. Gloria Akuffo has meanwhile denied the claim that she was an elitist who could not bring herself down to the level of the people. She also denied that she has bad human relations. Reacting to the story in an interview with this reporter on phone the Aviation minister said he has no problem with anybody at the constituency.

“I don't know the chief who said that about me. I think you should have spoken to the people at the grassroots level also to ascertain whether I relate well with them or not” she said.

According to her, the paper might have spoken to a chief or some chiefs who may be having one problem or the other with her, hence those allegations.