Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, founding member of the opposition New Patriotic Party, has counseled the party’s general secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, to take a back seat away from engaging directly in media debates. “I think I would like to advise Mr. Owusu Afriyie, it seems he is always in the frontline of fire and in politics, the position he is holding…I will suggest to him he doesn’t come to the frontline of fire most of the time. He has people under him, he could use them to come out with certain statements so that if there are errors, he could come out to correct them.” Nyaho Tamakloe who was speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme on Friday, was commenting on a directive of the NPP, announced on Thursday by Owusu Afriyie, also called Sir John, which bars MPs; national, regional, constituency, polling station and overseas branches officers of the party from openly declaring support for any individual candidate or campaigning for them in the search for a flagbearer for the party. He told host, Nana Kwabena Bobie Ansah that he did not think the rule is a directive from the party’s national executives but a good suggestion from the party scribe, and would have been a fine piece of advice particularly for party officers who must be seen to be impartial to instill some orderliness in the party, except that the directive could stifle freedom of expression if extended to cover MPs. He does not see anything wrong with MPs declaring their support for candidates. Nyaho thought Owusu Afriyie would do well to re-emphasize the directive (which as a general secretary he is entitled to) against the party officers. Story by Myjoyonline.com/Ghana