Kennedy Agyapong, a former Assin Central MP and New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer candidate, has criticized his fellow candidates over the controversy surrounding the party’s peace pact signing ahead of the January 31 presidential primary, accusing them of signing the document without carefully reading it.

His remarks come after he was publicly criticized for raising concerns during the signing ceremony of the peace accord, where he was observed challenging some parts of the document in front of party officials.

All five candidates signed the peace agreement, which commits them to maintaining party unity, accepting the results of the election process, and encouraging supporters to exercise moderation in order to maintain harmony within the party.

Speaking on Friday, January 23, during a meeting with NPP delegates in the Central Region’s Assin North constituency, Mr. Agyapong asserted that co-contestant and Abetifi MP Dr. Bryan Acheampong signed his name incorrectly because he did not carefully read it.

“The document was not read by them. Since Hon. Dr. Bryan Acheampong was illiterate, he signed at my location. Do I have a PhD? Three PhD holders. Signing documents without reading them is how they sell Ghana, he claimed.

He questioned the ability of PhD candidates who, in his opinion, neglected to carefully review the document before signing it.

“As an Assin Dompim native, my degree is an experience-based diploma. I began reading the document as soon as they handed it to me, he said.

Mr. Agyapong clarified that a provision requiring candidates to accept the election’s results regardless of whether they thought the procedure was fair was the main source of his disagreement.

“When I reached point two on the page, it told us to sign and acknowledge that you should accept the outcome of the election regardless of whether you were cheated or not. Because of precedent, I questioned the document at that point,” he stated.
He justified his fears by pointing to purported anomalies from the 2023 primary.

“I received 92 in that area the last time someone received 100%. I received 104 in Nchumuru, yet I was only given 14. Despite two persons testifying that they voted for me, I received nothing in Bunkpurugu,” he claimed.

“You presented me with a document today that I need to sign, yet all of these things happened in the past. I declined to sign. I won’t sign if you don’t fix a few issues.

“The so-called knowledgeable men signed,” he continued. They go to the World Bank in this manner to sign their death warrant and have tea. I’m talking to you from personal experience.

Spokesperson: “Missing Clause Sparked Objection”

Mr. Agyapong’s spokeswoman, Kwasi Kwarteng, earlier clarified that his candidate’s opposition stemmed from the removal of a crucial language that had previously been approved by all candidates.

Mr. Kwarteng claimed in an interview with Channel One TV that the absent clause specified that polling places would also function as collation centers, where results would be announced.

“At first, it was anticipated that the parties would have received the peace pact’s materials from the organizers so they could have read them beforehand and been familiar with its specifics before attending the event and performing the ceremony. Regretfully, we did not receive the documentation that the parties had previously agreed upon,” he stated.

“Therefore, Ken was able to review the document in person at the location.”

Voting centers would serve as collation centers, and results from any center where security was compromised would not be counted, according to previous agreements between the candidates, the Presidential Election Committee, and the Electoral Commission, according to Mr. Kwarteng.

He stated, “Prior to that, the parties had previously agreed with the Presidential Election Committee and the Electoral Commission that the voting centers would also be used as the collation centers, and the declarations would also be made there.”

Therefore, those centers might not be counted in the event of an accident or security breach.

Mr. Kwarteng revealed that Presidential Election Committee Chairman Joseph Osei Owusu acknowledged that the omission was a mistake and verbally promised to add the phrase after Mr. Agyapong protested.

He remarked, “Look, when he led that charge, the chairman of the Presidential Election Committee acknowledged that it was an omission and, of course, made a verbal assurance that subsequently they would insert it.”

The peace agreement was later signed by Mr. Agyapong.