It'll be surprising if NPP flagbearer aspirants signed the undertaking under duress - Adu Gyamfi

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A Professor at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Samuel Adu Gyamfi, has said that the flagbearer aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were not forced to sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU) to, among others, remain active and dedicated members of the party after Saturday’s contest. 

He stated that given the stature and clout of the aspirants, it would be surprising to assume that they were coerced to sign the document.

“I think that they did not use any coercive force to get any of these gentlemen who have stature, or clout within their own perspective to just go and sign a document they have not perused in the first instance or understand what is found therein.

“It would be surprising to assume that these gentlemen went to sign the particular document under compulsion or under duress.

I think that in their right framing of thoughts, in their own understanding about the politics that they have engaged themselves in I believe that they understand the need to further go sign this document.

“Having said that, it is important to also think through the process.

Possibly, these gentlemen have signed because if they do not do so they would be defined as persons or individuals who would rather want to cause mischief or trouble on the day of elections or post elections.

So someway somehow, they found the need to come and to sign.”

The signing of the MoU followed a meeting with the Council of Elders of the party on Thursday, November 2.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central Constituency, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, former Minister of Food and Agriculture Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto and former Mampong MP Francis Addai-Nimoh, in that particular order on the ballot paper, were at the meeting in the company of their witnesses.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo also joined the Council to address the aspirants, a couple of days to the primaries.

Chairman of the Council Hackman Owusu-Agyemang advised the aspirants not to let the outcome of Saturday’s exercise break them.

“I am very much aware that forgiving and forgetting the most unpalatable abuses in losing an election is not always easy,” he said.

“There may be further ridicules and challenges along the way.

This is the only way our party can remain relevant in this changing political landscape.

“We should remember that November 4 will come and go and remain only as a memory but the NPP, if we do not allow our action to destroy will exist for long time to come.”

The National Chairman of the party, Stephen Ayesu Ntim, and General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong also joined the meeting.

After the closed-door discussions, the four signed the MoU.

“We commit ourselves to accept the results of the November 4, 2023 Presidential Primary election of the NPP, and we will respect the outcome irrespective of the result,” Point 1 noted.

“We pledge to work together to maintain peace and cohesion within the NPP during and after the primary election.

We will refrain from engaging in any actions or rhetoric that may disrupt party unity.

“We undertake not to leave or resign from the NPP, regardless of the outcome of the primary election.