NPP unhappy with Graphic story
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has accused the Daily Graphic of joining the National Democratic Congress (NDC) bandwagon of false propaganda against the party.
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Referring to a story in the January 23, 2014 edition of the Daily Graphic headlined, “NPP Regional polls split ranks between Akufo-Addo, Alan camps”, the NPP, in a statement signed and issued by its acting Director of Communications, Mr Curtis Perry Okudzeto, said the headline was deceptive, “since nothing in the story supported the bold assertion”.
“Again, the story alleged that at a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the NPP, it was proposed that Nana Akufo-Addo, the party’s 2012 flag bearer, be nominated unopposed to contest the 2016 presidential election and that that proposal was shot down at NEC.
“Again, the story is an embarrassing fabrication from a paper purported to be credible. No such suggestion had ever been laid before the NEC of the NPP or discussed in any official party forum for consideration.
“The Daily Graphic, with all the resources and capacity at its disposal, will join the NDC bandwagon of false propaganda against the NPP. The journalism of ‘by-force equalization’ to balance the incompetence of the NDC government with negative stories about an opposition party is unproductively petty and must stop,” the statement said.
It said the party would like to assure its detractors and supporters that the leadership was very happy with the various levels of competition for party positions that had taken place and were yet to take place.
“The enthusiasm that people have shown in contesting for party positions is, to us, a very positive signal of a party in good health and with the energy and personnel to contest, win and protect the integrity of national elections,” it stated.
The statement said no party in the country had been able to achieve what the NPP had so far done: “holding elections in some 26,000 polling stations and constituencies across the country. This is a remarkable achievement by any political benchmark”.
“Let our detractors know that encouraging free internal competition does not mean we are disunited. It does not mean the party is in disarray. It means we know what democracy is about. As we prepare to finish with ours, we hope that the other parties, especially the ruling party, will take a positive cue from us and conduct theirs in a similar, mature and cordial manner.
“We, therefore, wish to state emphatically and without any doubt that the party is united, strong and focused,” it concluded.