NPP is conducting a clean campaign - Botwe
Mr Dan Botwe, General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has denied that the party is resorting to underhand tactics in it’s campaign to win the Bimbilla Parliamentary seat in the March 14, 2002 bye-election.
“On the contrary, it is the National Democratic Congress (NDC) which is indulging in a campaign of falsehood designed to discredit the NPP and give unfair advantage to the NDC in its bid to retain the Bimbilla seat,” he stressed. Mr Botwe was reacting to allegations made by Alhaji Huudu Yahaya General Secretary of the NDC, to the effect that the NPP was abusing its power of incumbency by, among others, embarking upon a campaign of harassment and threats calculated to intimidate NDC supporters to join the NPP.
He had alleged that such intimidating tactics and monetary inducements had been used to “coerce” Mr Joseph Likanli, Bimbilla Constituency NDC Vice-Chairman, to defect to the NPP in the ongoing campaign. According to Mr Botwe, the NPP, as “a democratically minded and peace-loving party” is committed to the pursuit of the rule of law and democratic tenets and will, therefore, ensure that its actions and general behaviour conforms to these values.”
“Besides, as a popular national party and the leading political force in the country, we have no need to resort to any underhand tactics to coerce anyone to join the NPP. The NPP, largely on account of its commitment to democratic principles, respect for the rule of law and the pursuit of the well-being of the people, is a magnet that attracts the people, and this, our political opponents must know and learn to appreciate,” he stressed.
On the defection of Mr Likani, Mr Botwe said the former NDC constituency Vice-Chairman, joined the NPP on his own freewill. “Mr Likanli, over a fortnight ago, walked into my office in Accra and expressed interest in not only becoming a member of the NPP but also in seeking the nomination of our party to contest the vacant Bimbilla seat. I subsequently referred the matter to the regional and constituency executive for attention,” he said.
Mr Botwe pointed out that, prior to seeking to play a more high profile role in the NPP, Mr Likanli relinquished his vice chairman position and renounced altogether his membership of the NDC. He pointed out that following these developments and his acceptance by the executive of the party at all levels, Mr Likanli, along with two others, was short-listed to contest the nomination of the party a week ago.
“Indeed given the suit then pending against Mr Dominic Nitiwul, who is now our candidate, Mr Likanli functioned as our standby candidate and has since been active in our campaign to win the seat come March 14,” he emphasized. “If anyone has to take the blame for intimidating people to join their party, then it has to be the NDC (because) Mr Likanli told us he had been intimidated to join the NDC and that he had always been a loyal member of the Danquah-Busia tradition,” he said.
On the campaign, the NPP General Secretary said it was so far smooth and peaceful notwithstanding “some provocative utterances” by some parties opposed to the NPP. He pointed out that even though the race for the seat was a very tough one, “I am confident the NPP will carry the day on March 14.”