Govt officials named in NDC upheavals

The NDC is facing another controversy reminiscent of the Josiah Aryeh affair, which led to the expulsion of the party's General Secretary.

This time around, the women's organizer of the party.

Frances Assiam is locked in a dispute with party members amidst references to top government officials said to be her associates.

Miss Assiam's critics within the NDC have accused her of disloyalty saying that she leaked information to NPP officials and tried to persuade the party's parliamentary candidate to pull out of the election for favours from top government officials.

The candidate, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye repeated the allegations when he spoke to Super Morning Show host Komla Dumor on Thursday.

According to Mr Vanderpuye, Ms Assiam promised to help him travel outside the country if he agrees to stay away from politics and that she would speak with Ambassador D.K Osei and O.B Amoah.

These are excerpts of the interview Nii Lantey Vanderpuye had with Komla.

Komla: That she could get the alleged case of electoral fraud against you or get it removed?

Nii Lantey Vanderpuye: Yes

Komla: And whom did she say she would speak to?

Nii Lantey Vanderpuye: She said would speak to Ambassador D.K Osei and then O.B Amoah.

Komla: And did she make any other offers?

Nii Lantey Vanderpuye: Yes, she said that they would get me some money to get out of the country, continue my education to be able to cater for my family.

Komla: Did you follow up with that?

Nii Lantey Vanderpuye: Oh yes I expressed interest because I wanted to know and there has been this long feeling and idea among the NDC circles that there were certain elements amongst us who are in bed with the NPP. I just told her I was not ready to sell my mind and I'm not ready to get off and I would not allow anyone to button my mouth.

Komla: How did you know that she wasn't just using people's names, the names of ambassador D.K Osei and Mr Amoah as you allege. How do you know that she wasn't just using their names basically?

Nii Lantey Vanderpuye: Well it could be a possibility but I can tell you for a fact that it wasn't a one-day issue. If I had really given myself out it would have been dead results because there were other calls, other interested people who said in a follow up that the discussion I had with her but I still was elusive.

Komla: Was there any evidence that she knew these people or did you ever get the impression that she actually knew the people.

Nii Lantey Vanderpuye: I however err have valuable information from her herself that she is so close to the national security coordinator, Francis Poku.

Komla: What Proof of that did she show you. How do you know that she wasn't just using a story?

Nii Lantey Vanderpuye: The day of my arrest for example, she came around, she talked to me in fact, I called her because she is a friend and I wanted to get to other executive members of the party and when she came, she told me that she is going to get me off this case immediately. She used my mobile phone and called Francis Poku after she had spoken to him, she left and came back when I was at the cells, she told men and I know it was a whole assistant commissioner police who came to effect the bail and the man told the police people that he had instructions from above.