The National Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Sammi Awuku has urged constituency chairmen of the party to stop what he says are subtle campaign activities at funerals for presidential candidate hopefuls.
He said the move is a recipe for disunity which would affect efforts and the agenda of the party to break the 8-year ruling cycle.
According to him, the NPP stands a better chance to be in power beyond eight years if it is able to maintain unity after its internal elections and be discipline in its endeavours.
“There is a growing trend that as constituency chairmen we have to be very tough on. Whoever is a beneficiary or victim, we just have to put our foot on the ground. There is a growing sense and strategy of turning funerals into campaigning grounds for would-be Presidential candidates. As much as possible, the Constituencies are expected to preserve the unity of the party. When it turns that because you are active constituency executives, you pray the ostrich, stand aside but send our youth Organizers to mobilize people to cheer Mr. A or Mr B.Chairmen, they make your work difficult,” he said.
He said this Saturday, July 17, 2021 in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital during the inauguration of the NPP Constituency officers’ welfare.
Sammi Awuku cautioned that “If we are not careful with the internal primaries and party discipline, we may end up breaking ourselves before breaking the 8. President Kufuor’s statement still resonates in our ears, it is better to be a messenger in a party in government than to be a General Secretary for a party in opposition”.
Supporters of the Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia are known for mobilizing and cheering him at funerals.
A recent incident is when a group calling itself Friends of Bawumia for 2024 stormed the funeral ground for the father of Gabby Otchere-Darko in Koforidua on July 3, 2021 to cheer the Vice President with appellations while his perceived rival Alan Kyeremateng was present at the funeral grounds.
