Deputy General Secretary for the governing National Democratic Congress, Kofi Adams has claimed that the camp of 2012 presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, was behind moves for the opposition party to hold a decentralised congress to elect national officers.

According to him, while party loyalists in favour of defeated flagbearer hopeful, Alan Kyerematen were in support of holing congress at a centralised location, those in the camp of Nana Akufo-Addo believed holding the congress separately across the regions would enure to his benefit.

The party leadership initially announced to hold congress on March 1, at various regions on the grounds that the party cannot raise the Gh¢1 million needed to fund it. Many party faithful including the party's Members of Parliament, kicked against it insisting on holding congress at one venue is more cost efficient. 

The leadership was however forced to backtrack its position following the decision by the National Council that congress should be held at a centralised location. The Council also chose the Northern Regional capital of Tamale as venue for congress.

Mr. Adams said on the "Badwam" programme on Adom TV, Thursday, the development confirmed the long held view by political watchers that the NPP was sharply divided along the camps of Alan and Akufo-Addo, over how and where the congress was to be held.

The spokesperson of the Rawlinges said factionalism in the NPP became evident when party Chairman; Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, General Secretary; Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie as well as Director of Elections Martin Agyei Mensah-Korsah, all submitted separate budgets for the upcoming congress which has now been rescheduled to April 12.

Kofi Adams said the decision by the National Council is a signal to the 2012 flagbearer that he no longer holds significant influence on the NPP.

Nothing wrong

But former member of Parliament for Asokwa, Maxwell kofi Juma says there was nothing wrong with the party presenting different budgets for the congress.

He explained that, Mr. Owusu Afriyie proposed for the congress to be held in Accra which will cost Gh¢1 million and the other, purported to have originated from Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey, also proposed a higher figure while the party's Members of Parliament also proposed for it to be held in Sunyani which was estimated to cost a little less than Gh¢700,000.

These he noted, where deliberated upon with reasons before the final decision was reached for congress to be held in Tamale on April 12, at a lesser cost than those proposed by the Chairman and General Secretary.