A leading member of the newly-formed United Front Party (UFP), Nana Agyenim Boateng, has disclosed that he was forced to quit the New Patriotic Party (NPP) because he believes intimidation and corruption had now taken over the party. According to him, the NPP had grown intolerable to dissenting ideas and opinions which differ from that of some leading members of the party. Nana Boateng, who coordinated campaign activities in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions for Prof. Frimpong Boateng during the NPP's presidential primary, noted that the NPP was no longer the once vibrant democratic and tolerant party, Ghanaians and, for that matter the world, used to know, because, "It no longer tolerates discerning and radical opinions.” The former NPP youth activist, who is now the National Director of the Kumasi-based UFP, alleged that the leading opposition party had now been hijacked by a few individuals, whose selfish interests supersede that of the party. Giving reasons behind his defection to the new party in an interview with The Chronicle, Nana Boateng, aka "Gyataba," said the NPP was no longer attractive to free thinkers and individuals with radical ideologies, stressing, "The party has now been taken over by some few people whose agenda is to use corruption and intimidation to bully their way through.'' Recording to him, a lot of mafia, dirty works, and coercion were going on within the NPP, making it unsafe for him to continue to engage in activities of the party. Nana Boateng indicated that currently, the NPP was a pale shadow of its excellent internal democratic credentials, which earned it enviable accolades in Ghana and the rest of Africa. The former contestant for the Ashanti Regional Youth Organiser position of the party, recounted, amidst regret, how he was virtually hounded by certain leading members of the party, after it was allegedly detected that he had paid a visit to ex-President J. A. Kufour at his residence in Accra. He alleged that he wanted to file his nomination for the regional youth post, but was not allowed to do so, because of his visit to Mr. Kufour, asking, "Why, what sort of party is this?" He noted, "Now the mafia work within the party has gotten to the extent that it is either you are part of the big boys, or forget about having your say in the party." He said if the intimidations and witch-hunting within the NPP do not stop, there was no way the party could come back to power. Nana Boateng has meanwhile, said the UFP had come to stay, and that "Those casting doubts and aspersions about the viability of our party, can only do so at their own peril." Source: The Ghanaian Chronicle