Kobina Tahir Hammond, MP for Adansi Fomena in the Ashanti Region, has asked four New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential hopefuls to stop wasting their time.

He is certain the four presidential office seekers, Stephen Asamoah Boateng (Asa B), Kofi Konadu Apraku, Osei Ameyaw and Francis Addai Nimoh are motivated by nothing but undue desire for power.

K.T. Hammond, who is an NPP party stalwart, insists he has been around party affairs long and close enough to know the four party presidential candidate hopefuls will amount to nothing.

K.T. Hammond said these on Accra-based Citi FM.

“These are difficult and very serious times. We must be serious. We must be mindful of the matters, the enormity of the problems and the challenges that face the country at the moment. Look, by this irresponsible act they are putting all of us into jeopardy.

"First we have to go for this special congress that they are talking about and then after that all the expenditure, then we go into the congress proper. Look at the money entailed in going round and round the country which is money that if they really love this party they could put into our proper general elections campaign to make sure that we take the realms of power and look after this country…”, K.T. explained.

He said if he had his way, he would ask Alan Kyerematen and Joe Ghartey, who have also filed to contest the position, to show some magnanimity and allow Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to go unopposed.

To him, apart from these two (Alan Kyerematen and Joe Ghartey), the rest of the contenders are jokers who should be disqualified by the vetting committee.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) would have to hold a special congress, slated tentatively for December 6, 2014 to select five out of seven presidential hopefuls who have filed nomination to contest the presidential primaries.

By close of day Monday July 7, 2014, the last day for filing of nominations, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Mr Joe Ghartey, Mr Kofi Osei Ameyaw and Stephen Asamoah Boateng had filed their nomination papers.

They will be soon appear before a nine-member vetting committee for thorough background checks.

The nine-member committee is made up of the five statutory committees of the National Council, the chairman of the Council of Elders and three others nominated by the national chairman of the party,  one of whom will chair the committee.

[GN]