The Editor-in-chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has described the decision by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to hold a re-run of the Klottey Korle Parliamentary election as tactless and needless.
According to him, there was absolutely no need for the party to have made the decision which he maintained will have dire consequences for the party’s performance in the constituency come November elections.
The NPP’s decision comes after it agreed with both parties to withdraw the case from court. The party insists the re-run was necessary if peace was to prevail in the constituency as there is too much litigation surrounding the results and only a re-run can resolve the factionalism in the constituency.
Philip Addison went to court after losing to Nii Noi Nortey in the primary held August 2 last year, claiming the results were cooked to favour the former constituency chairman, Nii Noi Nortey.
Addison who polled 22 votes as against 393 votes for Nii Nortey boycotted the elections and accused constituency executives and the Electoral Commission of staging the polls.
Addison feeling aggrieved proceeded to court to challenge the results following which he obtained a default judgement for a re-run.
But speaking on Peace FM Wednesday, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako found it difficult to appreciate the party’s move arguing that decision was not backed by deep thinking.
“This whole Addison thing doesn’t make sense to me. In principle it’s not far to Nii Noi, the pursuit of someone’s Parliamentary ambitions should not override the party’s interest. I think the party leadership didn’t handle this matter well. There was no need for it. Even going to court etcetera was needless. Now you’ve come to a conclusion that they should go for a re-run…how? There is no strategic calculation that went into this decision. They should have left the issue the way it was. This re-run is not in the ultimate interest of the party. That is my candid opinion.”
He added: “If I had the chance I would have advised Addison against going into this election. There are times that you must forgo certain interest. This is so uncalled for. My instincts are telling me this is a wrong decision that will adversely affect the party’s performance in the constituency.”
Abdul Malik Kweku Baako wondered why both the NDC and the NPP were having problems with the parliamentary elections in the Klottey Korle constituency.
“Fortunately for the NPP, the NDC is also having problems in that same constituency. They did not handle theirs well from the beginning and are not handling it well now. That can also affect their chemistry in the constituency.”
When i saw the announcement, I thought the party Leadership would have been smarter than this and ensure that they persuade Addison to step aside and forgo his parliamentary ambition."
The Steering Committee of the opposition NPP has ordered a re-run of parliamentary primaries in the Korle Klottey constituency following months of controversy over its fairness.
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