Three flag-bearer candidates of the opposition New Patriotic Party feel scandalized over comments by a founding member of the party which sought to imply that a vote for any of them is a vote for corruption and criminality. Mr Kwame Pianim at the official launching of Prof Kwabena Frimpong Boateng’s NPP flag-bearer campaign bid subtly questioned the integrity of the four other candidates vying for the same position. “I will tell you what Kwabena Frimpong Boateng is not. “If you are a man of laziness and corruption, incompetence go and look for one of the presidential candidates and vote him,” he said. “…We are looking for a leader; the world has changed completely. We need people who can think outside the box. “…We are looking for a leader and not a flag-bearer; any idiot can hold a flag,” he pontificated. His comments have triggered yet another controversy with the other aspirants feeling slighted. They took turns to pour out their objections in a chain of interviews with Joy News' Evans Mensah. Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, spokesperson for Alan Kyeremanten, one of four toehr candidates said the comments were unbecoming of a founding member of the party. He advised the media to take a re-look at the use of the phrase ‘renowned economist’ as the title for Pianim, suggesting that recent comments by the economist left much to be desired. Lawyer Kwame Kodua, another aspirant said the comments were unfortunate and unacceptable. Dominic Nitiwul, spokesperson of the Nana Addo campaign team will not dignify the comments with a response, except to say that Prof Frimpong Boateng must disassociate himself from the comments. But the candidate on whose platform the comments were made said Mr Pianim has been taken out of context. He explained that the economist made the comments out of ”frustration” having witnessed a country still plagued with difficult development challenges despite 52 years of independence. Meanwhile the party general secretary, Kwaku Owusu Afriyie has described the statement as “sad for politics.” He feared the comments will muddy the campaign terrain, adding, the party will listen to the entire statement by Mr Pianim and will take appropriate action. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana