Where is Kofi Wayo?

The ambition of Charles Kofi Wayo, leader, founder and self-appointed presidential candidate of the United Renaissance Party (URP) to become the president of Ghana seems to have been shot down, following his inability to operate the political party he founded two years ago.

Registered with the National Electoral Commission since June 13, 2006, the party has not only failed to hold constituency, regional or a National Delegates' Congresses, but also remained off the entire political radar for over a year now.

Wayo was conspicuously absent at last week's Inter-Party Advisory Committee (I PAC) meeting at the EC headquarters, reinforcing the perception that URP exists only on paper.

The political oblivion of Wayo's party is so glaring across the country that a section of the electorate is wondering if the party is serious about contesting the December 7, 2008 polls or if the man, also called 'Chuck or Nima Boy' is only shooting off his mouth for the purpose of self ego.

As of Monday, Daily Guide scouts, after a long and tedious search, could locate only two small structures in the nation's capital at Nima and Nungua painted in URP colours with the party's inscription.

Wayo's party is virtually non-existent in the regions, let alone the constituencies, as the two structures at Nima and Nungua see no human activityexcept for women who are using the NIma office as a warehouse.

Wayo appears to organise his party from a popular joint at Labone, Celsbridge where he frequents and enjoys himself with friends over bottles of drinks.

While almost all those who helped found the party have been fired by the founder or compelled to resign, national, regional and constituency executive members cannot be traced.

When Daily Guide checked on the two structures meant for offices in Accra, it noticed that the Nima office, serving as the headquarters, had been rented out as a warehouse for traders while the container regional office at Nungua was buried in weeds.

interestingly though, the maverick 'Chuck Wayo', who claims to be energy and gun expert, still parades himself as the presidential candidate even though no congress has been held to pick him as such.

In spite of the 'sinking' state of the party due to the founder's inability to let it fly, Mr. Wayo has stated on a number of radio programmes that he would be the best president the country will ever have, insisting he would employ one million youth on just two farms in the Accra Plains within the first 100 days of his 'presidency'.

Speaking on Angel FM, a Kumasi-based radio station's Morning Drive programme recently, Wayo told show host Kwame Adinkra that should he become the next president, he would irrigate and cultivate every unused land in the country.

"When I become president on January 7 next year, I'll plant pawpaw on the vast stretch of land along the Accra Osino road and convert the large tract of land along the Accra-Oda road into okra farm", he said, contending that the two farms could generate in excess of $2 billion annually.

Wayo, the controversial politician returned to Ghana a decade ago after a long stay in the United States, joined the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and stood on its ticket as the parliamentary candidate of East Ayawaso (Nima) in the 2000 elections.

He however failed in his bid to unseat the incumbent and following his inability to pick an appointment in Kufuor's government he noisily left the NPP to join the People's National Convention (PNC) where he failed to become the running mate to Dr Edward Mahama losing the slot to the late Dannv Ofori Atta of EGLE party.

He later left the PNC, describing it as 'chinchinga (khebab) party.