[ 2011-04-09 ]

Apraku denies he declared to contest Kufuor in 2004
The National Campaign Director of the New
Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2008 elections, Dr
Kofi Konadu Apraku has rebuffed allegations that
he declared to contest then President Kufuor in
the party’s presidential primaries in 2004.

In a swift reaction to the allegation, he said, it
is just a ploy by the National Democratic Congress
(NDC) to justify that fact that former First Lady
Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings has hinted at
contesting President Mills.

There have been rumours circulating in the NDC
that Dr. Apraku declared his intention to contest
the then President Kufuor in 2004 but was
prevented by party leadership from picking
nomination forms to contest.

On Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Friday, Dr.
Apraku said he never intended to contest former
President Kufuor who at that time had laid a solid
foundation for the economy, provided free
education and healthcare and expanded the
frontiers of freedom and the rule of law in the
country.

Contrary to newspaper reports that he opened an
office for his campaign, he said it was just to
facilitate his work as a Member of Parliament at
the time and to receive members of his
constituency.

According to Dr Apraku, the NDC should rather
focus on interrogating the issues raised by former
President Rawlings to know whether it would be
justified for someone to challenge President Mills
in their upcoming Presidential primaries.

Dr. Apraku noted that for someone to challenge a
sitting president indicates clearly that he poses
a threat to the party winning an election-that
“the element of potential defeat is high.”

He added that for a party leader like Nana Konadu
to challenge President Mills is an indictment on
the president's performance.

Dan Botwe, Member of Parliament for Okere
Constituency in the Eastern Region who was the
General Secretary at the time confirmed Dr.
Apraku’s claims.

He said even though the party opened nominations
for prospective candidates to file their
nominations, President Kufuor was the only person
who filed his nomination.

But, the National Propaganda Secretary of the
ruling NDC, Richard Quashigah expressed shock at
Dr. Apraku’s comments.

He narrated how Dr. Apraku confirmed to him
together with some colleague journalists that he
(Dr. Apraku) intended to contest former President
Kufuor in the party’s flagbearership race.

He recalled Apraku made the claim at the NPP's
congress in Sekondi-Takoradi to elect National
executives and named some other persons who were
present at the time during a live show on Radio
Gold.

“Can he Dr. Apraku, in his heart of heart and
the sincere man that he claims he is, tell
Ghanaians that he has never expressed the intent
to contest J. A.Kufour at the time that they were
electing their national officers. Is that what he
said?

“I'm alarmed, Dr. Apraku has been a friend and I
think he should come clean”.

Source - Ghanasoccer

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