Former Assin Central MP and New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer aspirant Kennedy Agyapong has criticised his fellow contenders over the controversy surrounding the signing of the party’s peace pact ahead of the January 31 presidential primary, accusing them of signing the document without reading it thoroughly.

His comments follow public criticism over objections he raised during the peace pact signing ceremony, where he was seen questioning aspects of the document in the presence of party officials.

The peace pact, signed by all five aspirants, commits them to party unity, acceptance of the electoral process and its outcomes, and restraint by supporters to preserve peace within the party.

Speaking at a meeting with NPP delegates in the Assin North constituency of the Central Region on Friday, January 23, Mr Agyapong claimed that Abetifi MP and co-contestant Dr Bryan Acheampong mistakenly signed against his name due to a lack of careful reading.

“They didn’t read the document. In my case, Hon Dr Bryan Acheampong signed at my place because he didn’t read. Me, am I a PhD holder? Three PhD holders. That’s how they sell Ghana by signing papers without reading,” he said.

He questioned the competence of aspirants with doctoral degrees who, in his view, failed to scrutinise the document before appending their signatures.

“As a native of Assin Dompim, my degree is a qualification by experience. So immediately they gave me the document, I started reading,” he stated.

Mr Agyapong explained that his objection centred on a clause that required aspirants to accept the outcome of the election regardless of whether they believed the process was fair.

“When I got to point two on the document, it instructed us to sign and agree that, however the election goes, whether you’ve been cheated or not, you should accept it. That’s where I questioned the document because of precedence,” he said.

He cited alleged irregularities from the 2023 primary to justify his concerns.

“The last time someone was given 100 per cent, and in that area I got 92. In Nchumuru, I got 104, but I was given 14. In Bunkpurugu, I was given zero, although two people testified that they voted for me,” he said.

“All these happened in the past, and then today you put a document before me that I should sign. I said I won’t sign. If you don’t correct some things that went wrong, I won’t sign.”

He added, “The so-called knowledgeable men signed. That’s how they go to the World Bank to drink tea and sign their death warrant. I am speaking to you from experience.”

Missing Clause Sparked Objection – Spokesperson

Earlier, Kwasi Kwarteng, spokesperson for Mr Agyapong, explained that his candidate’s objection arose from the omission of a key clause that had earlier been agreed upon by all aspirants.

In an interview with Channel One TV, Mr Kwarteng said the missing provision stated that voting centres would also serve as collation centres, where results would be declared.

“Initially, the expectation was that the organisers would have served the parties with the documents of the peace pact so that they would have read earlier and know the details and content of it before they came for the event and undertake the ceremony. Unfortunately, we did not get the documents as earlier agreed amongst the parties,” he said.

“So Ken had the first-hand opportunity to go through the document at the venue.”

According to Mr Kwarteng, prior engagements between the aspirants, the Presidential Election Committee and the Electoral Commission had agreed that voting centres would double as collation centres, and that results from any centre where security was compromised would not be counted.

“Before that, the parties had earlier agreed with the Presidential Election Committee and the Electoral Commission that where the voting centres would also be used as the collation centres, and the declarations would also be made there,” he said.

“And so, in the event that there is any mishap or security is compromised, those centres may not be counted.”

Mr Kwarteng disclosed that following Mr Agyapong’s protest, Presidential Election Committee Chairman Joseph Osei Owusu admitted that the omission was an error and gave a verbal assurance that the clause would be inserted.

“Lo and behold, when he led that charge, the chairman of the Presidential Election Committee admitted that it was an omission and, of course, made a verbal assurance that subsequently they would insert it,” he said.

Mr Agyapong later signed the peace pact.