I pray Kojo Bonsu rescinds his decision to contest NDC flagbearship - Sammy Gyamfi

The aspiring National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi has urged his former boss, Kojo Bonsu to rescind his decision to contest in the upcoming presidential primaries.

The NDC party has chosen December 7, 2018 to elect its presidential candidate to lead the party to victory in the 2020 general elections of which some political pundits have predicted that it would be a tight competition.

The former Kumasi Mayor, Mr. Bonsu paid a courtesy call on former President Jerry John Rawlings to inform him of his intention and to seek his blessing, just as most of the aspirants to the flagbearer slot have done.

Mr Rawlings tweeted on Friday, 28 September: “I received @KOJOBONSU10 and his team today. I wished him well. He has a determined spirit.#KojoBonsu2020”.

Mr. Bonsu has therefore joined a raft of aspirants including former President John Mahama, former Minister of Trade and Industries Ekow Spio-Garbrah, former Greater Accra Regional Minister Prof Joshua Alabi, former CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority Sylvester Mensah, former Central Regional Minister Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, former aide to Mr Rawlings Goosie Tanoh, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, legal practitioner Elikplim Agbemava, businessman Nurudeen Iddrisu and Handyman Stephen Atubiga.

Some bigwigs in the party have described Mr. Bonsu as a traitor and others too have advised him not to contest his boss, former President John Mahama.

Mr. Bonsu together with Joshua Akamba were the brains behind the party's "Unity Walks" which were organised to restore hope for the disgruntled members of the party after the party's humiliating defeat in 2016 by the NPP.

The 'Unity Walk' which was aimed at restoring hope to members of the NDC across the country was hijacked by Mr. Mahama to keep his name and face alive.

After the declaration, Joshua Akamba who is a closest to Bonsu has distanced himself from his declaration and described Mr. Bonsu as a traitor.

But in a statement signed by Sammy Gyamfi indicated that he acknowledged Mr. Bonsu's legitimate right to participate in any democratic process of the party, according to him it will be better for his former boss to rescind his decision of contesting.

"Whilst acknowledging Hon. Kojo Bonsu's legitimate right to participate in any democratic process of our party, I have hoped that he rescinds his decision to contest in the upcoming flagbearership race of the NDC since news of his intention broke. I would continue to pray that he reconsiders his decision".

Sammy Gyamfi who was the PRO for Mr. Kojo Bonsu when he was the Major of KMA, has reaffirmed his decision to support former President John Mahama in his bid to be the flagbearer of the party.

The outspoken communicator has therefore opined that he does not support Mr. Kojo Bonsu as speculated that he supports him.

"My stance on who is the best person to lead the NDC into the 2020 Election is a matter of public knowledge. I have constantly maintained that H.E John Dramani Mahama (JDM) remains the NDC's surest bet for victory in the 2020 upcoming Election, and I have not deviated from this position in the remotest of forms. I still believe that he is the best person who can lead the NDC to restore hope to our grassroots and to recapture power come 2020. This position of mine remains unchanged and therefore, I cannot and will not be party to any agenda other than that of H.E. JDM", he emphasized.

He added "After the NDC lost the 2016 General Election, my work with Hon. Kojo Bonsu came to an end."

He said "I was privileged to have been given the opportunity to work with Hon. Kojo Bonsu as his spokesperson when he was Mayor of Kumasi from 2013 to 2016. During that period, I discharged my duties to him, the KMA, the great NDC and my beloved Country to the best of my abilities. I remain grateful to him for that opportunity".

He therefore accused his opponents of trying to bring disconnect between him and former President John Mahama.

"The personalities behind this fabrication are the same detractors of mine who accused me only last week of profiting from my closeness to Former President Mahama's family when I successfully passed my vetting. This is yet another desperate propaganda from opponents and detractors who appear dazed by the impending contest".

He assured his detractors of winning the upcoming national communications officer position to help the party to wrestle political power from the ruling NPP in 2020.

"Finally, I wish to assure all the purveyors of lies behind the said statement that, I have my eyes firmly focused on the task of winning my National Communication Officer contest and achieving the Victory 2020 agenda of the NDC. I will not therefore be distracted by infantile propaganda laced with pliable concoctions", he stated.