Member of Parliament for Effiduase-Asokore Constituency, Dr Nana Ayew Afriye
The Member of Parliament for Effiduase-Asokore and Ashanti Regional Campaign Coordinator for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Dr Nana Ayew Afriye, has called on Kennedy Agyapong to immediately apologise to Dr Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates and the Ghanaian public for what he describes as unfounded, reckless and misleading attacks against the former Vice President.
According to Dr Ayew Afriye, the apology has become necessary following clear evidence that the statement Kennedy Agyapong viciously attacked Dr Bawumia over was never made by him.
Speaking on the matter, Dr Ayew Afriye said the failure to correct the falsehood has the potential to unnecessarily heighten tensions within the party, especially at a critical moment in the NPP’s internal democratic process.
“An apology will help calm nerves among delegates and Ghanaians, particularly now that it has emerged that the so-called historical distortion was not made by Dr Bawumia,” he stressed.
Kennedy Agyapong, in a viral video, launched a scathing attack on Dr Bawumia, accusing him of distorting history by allegedly claiming that former NPP presidential candidate and statesman, Professor Albert Adu Boahen, failed to contest for a second term due to ill health.
Kennedy Agyapong vehemently rejected the claim, insisting that Prof Adu Boahen was never ill and had, in fact, contested against former President John Agyekum Kufuor but lost heavily.
He went further to brand Dr Bawumia a “serial liar” and urged NPP delegates not to vote for him.
In the same video, Kennedy Agyapong accused Dr Bawumia of deceiving the party with claims that he could galvanise massive support from the Northern Regions, arguing that the NPP performed worse there under his watch compared to former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
He concluded by asserting that he is more popular than Dr Bawumia and therefore the better choice for the party.
However, shortly after the video gained traction, another video surfaced clearly showing that the statement in question was actually made by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi and not Dr Bawumia.
This revelation, Dr Ayew Afriye noted, completely undermines the basis of Kennedy Agyapong’s attack.
Reacting to the development, Dr Ayew Afriye said Kennedy Agyapong’s conduct exposes serious leadership deficiencies, particularly a lack of due diligence and emotional intelligence.
“This episode demonstrates a worrying failure to verify facts before going public. It also exposes a lack of emotional intelligence an essential quality for anyone seeking to become President,” he said.
He further described the attack as petty and unbecoming of a presidential hopeful.
“This is not the kind of issue a serious presidential candidate should spend time recording videos to attack a fellow party member in such a despicable manner,” Dr Ayew Afriye added.
He reiterated his call on Kennedy Agyapong to publicly retract his statements and issue an unqualified apology, warning that failure to do so could further damage party unity ahead of the crucial primaries.
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