‘Nothing wrong with kneeling; even Akufo-Addo begged for power’ – Bantama MP

The incident reportedly occurred during the NPP’s constituency conference at the Kumasi Cultural Center on Thursday, 9th January, 2020 where the regional chairman also reportedly knelt to beg delegates to ensure the NPP retains power in 2020.

Mr. Okyem Aboagye told Citi News that kneeling before the delegates to beg them to vote for President Akufo-Addo to continue another four-year term and also to vote for him as the Member of Parliament is nothing strange.

Some people have questioned his supposed unconventional way of appealing to the conscience of delegates but he said it is nothing new as President Akufo-Addo also begged Ghanaians to vote for him ahead of the 2016 elections.

“I am the host MP [for the conference]. If my Regional Chairman [Wontumi] has knelt down to beg the source of power –the delegates — and they are the same people who will vote for you, what will you do? The President [Akufo-Addo] set an example, he begged Ghanaians to give him the chance. I will be stupid if I don’t follow suit. So what I did was that, I supported Wontumi’s call and I also knelt down and begged the delegates and polling station executives to give four more years to Nana [Akufo-Addo] but I added myself to say four more years for Nana and four more years for me,” he said.

Chairman Wontumi has reportedly begun a campaign to get some sitting MPs in the Ashanti Region to go unopposed in the party’s upcoming primaries in April.

There are reports that a deputy Chief of Staff, Francis Asenso Boakye is seeking to contest in the constituency for the primaries, sparking rumours that the incumbent MP may struggle to get the nod of the delegates to represent them in the 2020 elections.

But Daniel Okyem Aboagye has indicated his desire not to be contested in the primaries hence appealed to Wontumi to consider him if constituencies are being selected to have sitting MPs contest unopposed.

“While I was on my knees, I stretched my hands to Chairman Wontumi and said I’ve heard you are going around to make some constituencies go unopposed, in case you are doing that, remember me,” Daniel Okyem told pressmen.

The Conference was chaired by the National 2nd Vice Chairman of the NPP, Frederick Fredua Antoh and was aimed at showcasing the achievements of the government