The Convention People’s Party’s 2016 presidential candidate, Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, has called on electorates in the three Northern Region to reject New Patriotic Party (NPP) as an option for change in the general elections.
He said voting for the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), or the main opposition NPP could be like voting for their families and cronies and not for the ordinary people of Ghana.
He made the assertion at a campaign event at Janga in the Walewale Constituency of the Northern Region. Mr. Greenstreet further took a swipe at the NPP’s vice-presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
He claimed that Dr. Bawumia has overnight pretended to be concerned about the plight of the people from the three Northern regions following his nomination as the running mate to the NPP presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Describing Dr. Bawumia as an “Accra Northerner”, the CPP flagbearer said even though the NPP running mate hailed from the Northern Region he did not understand the hardship his people faced.
Dismayed by the level of poverty he had witnessed on his campaign tour, he said Dr Bawumia despite several opportunities to help his people, found his voice only after he entered politics.
“Where has he been all this while?” he wondered and said had it not been for politics, Dr. Bawumia would not have been promising the people of the area improved roads and better healthcare.
Speaking at a rally at Balungu in the Bongo Constituency last week, Mr. Greenstreet also said, “John Mahama’s government is the most corrupt government in the history of Ghana.
Dollar for dollar, cedi for cedi, this government is the most corrupt in our history. And yet he tells the people of the North to vote for him because he is their brother.”
“Why does your government steal from Northerners if you care for Northerners and why do you want us to give you another opportunity to steal more from the people you say you are trying to protect?” he quizzed.
President John Mahama during a campaign tour of the three regions courted controversy after he told voters to reject NPP because nobody from the region can ever be president on the ticket of the NPP.
Mr. Mahama noted the reverse is the case with the NDC where the party’s National Executive Committee took a decision and made him the flagbearer.
‘‘Who am I a boy from savannah Bole, born in Damango to stand here today and call myself the President of the Republic of Ghana? NDC is the party that is the most national in scope; it is the party that opens its opportunities to all Ghanaians irrespective of where your ethnic affiliation is.
“Sometimes I feel sad when I see some of my northern brothers running around and also doing this (supporting them). They will use you and dump you,’’ the President said at Jirapa as part of his campaign tour of the Upper West Region.
While on a four-day tour of the Upper East Region, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, accused President John Mahama of destroying the ‘Northern brand’.
He said through the President’s actions and inactions, the brand, which was known to be one of integrity and honesty has been soiled.
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