NDC Primaries: ‘Denounce Politics Of Patronage’- Nii John Coleman

Aspiring Parliamentary candidate for Klottey Korley Constituency, Nii John Coleman has overwhelmingly condemn the use of big names and family relationship referred to as ‘politics of patronage’ by some aspiring candidates within the Klottey Korley Constituency as a campaign strategy in an attempt to win the party’s parliamentary candidate title during the upcoming NDC parliamentary primaries election slated for November 7.

He therefore urges his contenders to desist from such a ‘shameful act’ adding, such a ploy will not work to their advantage but will rather worsen their chances since the constituents are discerned about the best choice of candidate to lead the party into victory after the primaries elections.

According to Nii John Coleman, “members of the party in the constituency should focus on competence, dedication and integrity rather than subjective issues like relatives of bigwigs of the party, dropping of big names and sharing of relief items which in the long run might affect the fortunes of the party in the upcoming general elections”.

Nii John Coleman has also kicked against the attempt by his opponents to play tricks with the biometric registration of prospective party members all in an attempt to confuse them during the party’s primaries.

Prior to the NDC parliamentary primaries elections slated for November 7, some aspiring candidates have lamented about the unfair distribution of biometric registration forms among the party electorates.

They blame the incumbent Members of Parliament (MPs) who are in the race with aspiring parliamentary candidates for the same position they occupy of corruption in the unfair distribution of the registration forms to party members.

This has angered some aspirants within the constituency including Nii John Coleman, who accuses Hon. Nii Ashitey Armah, the incumbent MP of the Klottey Korley Constituency for resulting to unfair practice to win power at all cost.

The astute and confident politician, who once served in the capacity of constituency Youth Organizer and Vice Chairman and was elevated to the position of Deputy Youth Organizer and a Substantive Regional Youth Organizer of the party for several years.

He gave the admonition in an interview with Journalists during a meeting with the P.W.D (1) branch in OSU. He also added that the NDC party had an obligation to move ahead and respond to the complexities of society, warning that dwelling too much on subjective issues just like what the other aspirant are engaged in will create problems for the party

In responding to some concerns raised by his supporters, Nii John Coleman said, “winning the Constituency Primaries would mean that people in the Klottey Korley Constituency have taken grip of the party, particularly when currently the image of the party has sunk so low without any hope insight.

The Klottey Korley NDC parliamentary candidate whose declaration to contest the Constituency Primaries is giving the other contestants some sleepless nights however, believes that the toils of the founding members of the party should not be in vain since the despondence and apathy which is being witnessed by constituents are temporary, insisting that delegates must be discerning enough and vote for a candidate who is dedicated, loyal and above all competent to steer the affairs of the party.

The experienced politician and an expert in grassroots mobilization believes the NDC must transcend several generations just like other political traditions in known democracies in France and Britain and that he has what it takes to lay the foundation for such laudable objective for the constituency.

Nii John Coleman equally believes that the party must be active all year round and not just during elections, adding the practice where our Members of Parliament practice what he called ‘EAT, SLEEP, GO INTO PARLIAMENT’ will be a thing of the past saying regular party workshops, seminars, periodic meetings with Executive Appointees, training and other capacity building programmers is the way to go.

He assured the constituents that if he wins the primaries and the parliamentary seat, his main effort will be to fight for the establishment of Osu Municipal Assembly. This, he believes will give OSU the needed financial muscle for development. The former Greater Accra Regional Youth Organizers disclosed he intends to make the party pro-active in engaging and listening to party activists, sympathizers and local communities on the basis of their needs such as employment, sanitation, water and education by liaising with appropriate State Institutions whose mandates are to provide these facilities.

His campaign team believes he has the vision to re-enforce the NDC’s role as a truly functional national party where all are welcome under the umbrella.

In 2010, after the break away to form the DFP to contest the 2008 elections, the late President John Evans Atta-Mills NDC invited back into the party Nii John Coleman, Mr. Yao Obed Asamoah and Mr. Bid Ziddine who currently is also contesting a seat in Upper West Region and campaigned vigorously during the 2012 general elections together with His Excellency John Dramani Mahama to win the 2012 general elections.

Meanwhile investigations conducted by this reporter shows that, there are serious divisions in the current crop of the Constituency Executives of the party, with some of them campaigning for Dr. Zanetor Rawlings who many believed has not been active in the constituency for the past Four (4) years as required by the guidelines of the party.

Nii John Coleman is said to be competing with Mr. Wakefield Akuaku, Leeford Quarshie, and Nii Armah Ashitey (incumbent) in the NDC parliamentary primaries race for Klottey Korley Constituency whose faith will be decided as to whether he can lead the party in parliament come November, 7.