I�m Not Stupid To Dole Out Money �.Says NPP Aspirant

While some politicians dispose of their properties, including cars and houses to raise funds to finance their political campaign with the sole aim of making an impression, even if they cannot win the election, the case of an aspiring Member of Parliament (MP) for Afram Plain South is a different story.

Jeffrey Konadu-Addo, who has filed his nomination to contest for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary primary in the Afram Plains South constituency, in the Eastern Region, has decided to keep his money close to his chest, without spending a dime, because he has no confidence that his party could ever win the seat in that area.

According to him, he is not stupid to dole out money to members of the party in the area, ahead of the party’s parliamentary primary, to solicit their votes to enable him win the election.

Mr. Konadu-Addo said doling out money to the delegates would not make economic and political sense since the area is a stronghold of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), indication of the fact that there is nothing anyone can do to make him win the seat, even if he wins the parliamentary primary.

“My brother, I am not … I will not be stupid to dole out money to delegates in the constituency because that seat is for the NDC and there is nothing that would let me win”, the obviously petrified candidate disclosed.

Mr. Konadu-Addo made the disclosure in response to allegations leveled against him that, he had given his constituency chairman, Mr. George Ofori, an amount of Ten Thousand Ghana Cedis (GH¢10,000) which helped him transfer his membership of the party to the constituency to enable him contest for the seat.

This is because the candidate, in the last election, contested as the Afram Plains North parliamentary candidate on the ticket of the NPP, but he was unsuccessful and, therefore, this time round, he has decided to contest in the Afram Plains South constituency.

Speaking in a telephone interview with this reporter, the aspiring candidate said it was obvious that even if he wins the parliamentary primary, there was no way he could succeed in snatching the seat from his NDC opponent, hence it was unnecessary for him to invest heavily into that project.

The former Afram Plains North parliamentary candidate earlier asked this reporter to come to his office in Accra so he can respond to the allegations leveled against him when he was contacted on phone.

But the effort of this reporter to cross-check and ascertain the truth of the allegation was treated with gross disrespect and arrogance when he arrived at the office of the NPP parliamentary aspirant.

On arrival at the reception, this reporter identified himself and informed the front desk officer of his mission, she accordingly notified her boss (Konadu-Addo) about the reporter’s presence.

The reporter was later told by the receptionist to wait and after waiting over 30 minutes, he was again told to leave, since Mr. Konadu-Addo has said he did not want to see him again, because he (this reporter) had done a story about the constituency, which was aimed at promoting his opponent, Mr. William Hor.

A few days later, this reporter again tried to get in touch with Mr. Konadu-Addo on his cell phone to cross-check the allegation against him before filing the story.

It was at this point that, the aspiring MP indicated that he is contesting the parliamentary primary for the beauty of it and not because he can win the seat for the party. The constituency chairman, Mr. George Ofori, when contacted denied taking money from Mr. Konadu-Addo to enable him contest the primary.

Meanwhile, a group of delegates calling themselves ‘Willie Hor for MP’ (WHFMP) in a press conference held at Ekye-Amanfrom over the weekend have called on Mr. Konadu-Addo to step down for Mr. William Hor, his opponent.