Nii Lantey Vanderpuije, Aide to President Mills, says he did nothing wrong in preventing the NPP flag-bearer and his entourage from greeting chiefs at the Fetu Afahye festival of the chiefs and people of Cape Coast at the weekend. He said he was simply acting to ensure the programme was not turned into a political rally but that the people were allowed to enjoy their festival. “The fact is that between the NPP, the NDC, the other political parties, the security agencies, certain procedures had been agreed upon as far as the Oguaa Fetu Afahye festival was concerned. One, we indicated that this was not a political rally, two, this was a durbar of chiefs and people of Oguaa so the chiefs and the people must be given the opportunity to celebrate the day,” he told Joy News’ Dzifa Bampoh. In view of this, Mr Vanderpuije said a decision had been taken that not even the president was going to be allowed to greet all the people at the durbar grounds – something he suspected Nana Addo wanted to do. He said if the NPP flag-bearer were to be allowed to greet the people, it would have taken one hour to finish and that would bring the festival celebration to an abrupt end. Nii Lantey Vanderpuije argued that there was no need for Nana Addo and his entourage to want to greet the chiefs at the durbar grounds because the greeting had already been done the previous day. He disagreed with suggestions that the treatment meted out to the NPP leaders will serve to deepen the rancorous political divisions that have polarised the nation and led to bloody confrontations between supporters of the two major parties. “You see, Nana Addo was not the only political leader there. Kofi Wayo was there. Kofi Wayo came, he was also ushered straight to his seat. The leading members of other political parties were there, they were all led straight to their seats, nobody was supposed to go round to acknowledge cheers from the public,” he stated. A member of Nana Addo’s campaign team, Mr Boakye Agyarko however disagreed with Lantey Vaderpuije. He said the entourage’s attempt to greet the chiefs at the durbar grounds was only consistent with the protocol arrangements agreed on with the police the previous day. Story by Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana