NDC polls: Stop 'attacking' me – Yahaya

An aspiring National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, has asked his contenders to desist from the personality attacks ahead of the party’s internal polls on Saturday, 17 November 2018 at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra.

According to the campaign team of Mr Yahaya, the trend where some aspirants are resorting to personality attacks is unhealthy for the party, and therefore must cease.

A statement signed by Benjamin Avornyotse, Spokesperson for Huudu Yahaya’s campaign office, said: “The attention of the campaign office of Alhaji Huudu Yahaya has been drawn to publications and voice recordings circulating on some social media platforms which sought to attack his persona.

These vile attacks and smear campaigns targeted at Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, by some aspirants in the NDC chairmanship contest tend not only to devalue the spirit of competitive democratic elections but also cast those indulging in these shameful acts as lacking in democratic candour and political maturity.

The sad part is the attempt to introduce tribal and ethno-politics into the NDC’s internal contest.

“The campaign office of Alhaji Huudu Yahaya wishes to remind those indulging in these shameful acts to reflect on the values and principles on which the NDC was founded."

"We in the NDC, pride ourselves as the only true national party on the basis that we are tribal and ethnic blind. The NDC is differentiated from its main political opponent for being home to all Ghanaians irrespective of ethnicity, tribe, religion, colour, race and educational attainment."

"It is therefore distasteful for some of the aspirants to resort to ethnic and tribal politics unknown to the NDC in its internal contest. The discerning NDC delegates and the grassroots, whom Alhaji Huudu Yahaya stands for must see through this chicanery and opportunism."

“We wish to advise the aspirants whose voices have been captured on tape and are in circulation to grow-up in democratic politics and focus on the substantive issues and canvass on the platform of their records in seeking to become the chairman of the NDC."

"Alhaji Huudu Yahaya has a track record of political mobilization using decent and superior political arguments to dislodge his opponents. He expects others to be as decorous as possible and desist from the smear campaign of sowing tribal divisions which has the potential to cause disaffection and disharmony in the NDC. In all things, the interest of the NDC must be guarded.”

It added: “It is unfortunate that in these trying moments when the rank and file in the NDC is calling for unity and purposeful direction, political opportunists would want to hang their fortunes on a tribal pole for success."

"This development we believe is most unfortunate and only shifts attention from the basic issues our party delegates should be concerned with at this crucial moment of our party’s reorganization process."

"We wish to reiterate that the NDC is a party of national appeal and representation, and we believe that the rank and file would not countenance any attempt by any group of persons or individuals to drag its image in any ethnic or tribal political profiling.

“We wish to place on record that Alhaji Huudu Yahaya is committed to running an issue-based campaign and he will endeavour to uphold the highest level of political standards devoid of naming-calling and character assassination in his quest to lead our party to “victory 2020” as its national chairman.

“We also strongly wish to use this press release to call on all party delegates to disregard any rumour of Alhaji Huudu Yahaya’s possible “step-down” in the race.

"This, we wish to emphasize is a complete figment of imagination by his detractors and those whose campaign is floundering and has almost lost steam because of the warm and overwhelming endorsement Alhaji Huudu Yahaya is receiving from the delegates and from other core constituencies in the NDC."

"We also wish to note that, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya’s candidature is of no disadvantage to any presidential aspirant but rather his experience and track-record both in public and private life is what the NDC needs at this crucial time."

“We wish to call on all delegates and stakeholders of our great NDC party to remain focused and disregard any attempt to divide our party with campaign messages that are deliberately crafted to promote tribal identification campaign rather than uniting our ranks, reviving our structures and reclaiming victory. Alhaji Huudu Yahaya’s eye remains focused on the goal of recapturing power for the NDC and he is of the firm conviction that it can only materialize through his agenda of “RECONNECTING WITH THE GRASSROOTS” of the Great NDC.”