I never said a northerner cannot be NPP flag-bearer: ADORYE

Mr. Hopeson Adorye, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) 2020 parliamentary candidate for the Kpone-Katamanso Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, has denied ever making a categorical statement or inferring in whatever way or form that persons from the Northern parts of Ghana are not fit to be made presidential candidates on the party’s ticket and that their best bet would be running mates as has been the pattern since 1992.

Mr. Adorye, over the weekend, suffered a growing condemnation after news reports that he had made what was believed to be a derogatory remark with trappings of tribal bigotry.

The firebrand Adorye insists, however, that whatever he said was taken out of contest and given a slant by a section of the media.

Key party persons including Musah Superior, a former Chief Executive of the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly and Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Majority Chief Whip and MP for the Nsawam Adoagyiri Constituency were quick to call on Adoryea to retract the alleged statement and face sanctions.

Annor-Dompreh, on Sunday tweeted: “Chief Alan Kyeremanteng should as a matter of urgency call on his Director of Operation, Hopeson to retract his unfortunate comment forthwith… We have a beautiful Party with a respected Tradition, let’s conduct a civil and clean campaign…”

Superior

Musa Superior, in a rather lengthy statement in response to what Hopeson Adoryea was alleged to have said, among other comments, noted:

“Mr. Adorye’s remarks is sending a certain dangerous message to the Ghanaian people of northern extraction that; we are nothing but second class patriots. Our place in the national political space is to play second fiddle to flagbearers who must either be from the Danquah or the Busia sides of the three distinguished founding fathers of our great political tradition. This is most irresponsible, denigrating, ethnocentric and illogical. It is downright politically suicidal.”

The statement from Superior noted further that: “All Presidential hopefuls and their supporters must campaign on how they can re-energize our Party’s base and how they can mobilize the Ghanaian people to vote for the NPP massively and stop this TOSH of ethnocentrism.

“I call on Mr. Adorye to retract his divisive, despicable and derogatory remarks on northerners and render an unqualified apology to all NPP members of northern extraction and to the Party largely. Similarly, l call on the campaign team of Honourable Alan Kyerematen to condemn and dissociate himself from this condescending remarks that only goes to weaken our party in the northern part of the country”, Musa Superior added.

Adorye Responds

Meanwhile Hopeson Adorye, on Sunday dawn, rejoinder in which he denied ever making the alleged statement and also clarified the context in which he spoke:

“It has come to my attention some misleading headlines attributed to me indicating that, “In our Party tradition, Northerners are fit for running-Mates”. This was published by some online news portals and widely circulated aims at destroying Alan Kyerematen and inciting Northerners against me Hopeson Adorye.

“I wish to state categorically that, I never said in plain words that Northerners are fit for running-mates. The video is partly doctored for mischief.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I stated that, in NPP there is a particular formula that has been used since the formation of the Party. The formula is ‘Christian-Muslim Ticket’.

“In fact, since 1992, we are the only Party that has practiced Christian-Muslim Ticket.. NDC at all times used ‘Christian-Christian Ticket’ yet dominate all the Muslims Constituencies including the Zangos.

“In 1992, NPP presented ‘Christian’ Albert Adu Boahen and ‘Muslim’ Roland Issifu Alhassan. From 1998 to 2008, NPP presented ‘Christian’ John Agyekum Kufuor and ‘Muslim’ Alhaji Aliu Mahama. From 2008 up to date, NPP has presented ‘Christian’ Akufo-Addo and ‘Muslim’ Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
“Therefore per the formula, the running-mate since 1992 has been a permanent reserved position for the Dombo’s camp regardless of whether a Dankwa protégé or Busia protégé is leading the Party as the Flagbearer.

“This is exactly what I said and it is supported by historical data and science. Akufo-Addo’s camp told Aliu Mahama and Alan Kyerematen to wait for their turns. So now what is so difficult for Bawumia to also wait for his turn after his senior Alan Kyerematen?

Signed.
Hopeson Yaovi Adorye
Former Parliamentary Candidate of Kpone-Katamanso Constituency”