Mahama Ayariga Fights Dr Edward Mahama In Kumasi
There was what could be described as verbal exchanges between former presidential candidates of the Peoples National Convention (PNC) when they took their turns to address supporters who converged to elect executives for the party in the Ashanti Region.
The two, Mr Hassan Ayariga and Dr Edward Nasigri Mahama were divided in opinions as they retaliated each other in their addresses.
It all started when Mr Ayariga blamed the downfall of the PNC on the absence of unity at leadership front of the party indicating that “the division in the PNC is bigger than the leaders in the PNC.
The obviously worried Ayariga recounted how he was humiliated and betrayed by his own national executives who failed to assist him in the party’s campaign during the 2012 elections.
He claimed that most of the executives were rather campaigning for the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo at the expense of their candidate.
He chastitised the executives for doing more harm than good to the party and entreated party supporters to replace them with new crop of leaders in their upcoming congress at Wa in the Upper West Region.
He added that the party needed nothing but unity to be able to wrestle power from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2016 elections.
Mr Ayariga who led the party in the 2012 elections was seen by many as not the preferred candidate for the PNC.
He further said “PNC will die if we are not united”
Dr Mahama who led the party from the 1996 to 2008 general elections said he would announce his intention to lead the party in the 2016 elections in a press conference at a later date.
He urged party supporters to turn deaf ears on people who say the party will die.
Dr Mahama who was unhappy about Mr Ayariga’s remarks said it was the leadership of the party that should unite and not the party.
He replied that “When you are a general, you don’t complain, you lead and provide leadership. So those who come and say I didn’t get this and that; are not leaders because leaders don’t complain they solve problems”.
Dr Mahama tasked party supporters to vote for a unifying candidate at the party’s national congress.
He also believes he was the moral voice the PNC needed to win the 2016 elections to save Ghana.
About 250 delegates from 47 constituencies in the Ashanti Region converged at the GNAT Hall to elect regional executives to steer the affairs the party.
According to the party, the theme for the congress ‘Reigniting the spirit of PNC through the grassroots’ resonates with the party’s commitment to reorganize ahead of the 2016 elections.
