Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, a potential flagbearer, is being held to a public apology by Mohammed Baatima Samba, the NPP’s Northern Regional Chairman.
In a statement in response to several charges made by Kennedy Agyapong, the regional chairman said the flagbearer candidate spread false information to damage his reputation when he met with party members in the Savannah Region.
“My attention has been directed to an audio of Kennedy Agyapong (MP) campaigning to delegates in an area while the General Secretary had declared an embargo on open campaigning on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
“In the said tape, Kennedy Agyapong avowed a lot of misinformation/disinformation to tarnish my image. As it is one sided perspective, I will tell my side of the story for the public to form an opinion from his thesis and my antithesis,” Chairman Samba said in the statement sighted.
In the said audiotape, Mr. Kennedy Agyapong accused some executives in the northern regions, including Chairman Samba, of trying to sabotage his campaign.
According to Kennedy Agyapong, the Northern and North East Regional Chairmen, who are both allies of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, prevented him from meeting with the party’s delegates in their regions.
But responding to the claims, Mr Samba said neither he nor his executives had any prior information about Kennedy Agyapong’s intended meeting with the delegates. In addition, the regional chairman said he never made any such attempt to prevent Kennedy Agyapong from meeting with the delegates.
The Chairman has thus asked Kennedy Agyapong, who is the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, to apologise for his claims lest he refer the matter to his lawyers.
“No one will be prevented from campaigning. Competition helps the party to progress and as a liberalist I will encourage competition.
“Accordingly, I am, by this statement, asking Kennedy Agyapong to withdraw his fabrications against my person and render an apology within two weeks. Failure or refusal to do as requested would lead me to my lawyers,” he emphasised.
Meanwhile, the Northern Region NPP executives, in a joint statement, have similarly denied the claims by Kennedy Agyapong.