The anticipated IEA Encounter with Nana Akufo-Addo was postponed for the second time due to the change in elections date, acting General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party John Boadu has explained.
The encounter with the NPP flag-bearer was to take place in June 5 but was rescheduled for August 9, but the IEA in a statement Thursday said the Encounter Series with Akufo-Addo has been postponed.
“We regret to inform the general public and all of our invited guests that the IEA Encounter with Hon. Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo scheduled for 9th August, 2016 has been postponed until further notice,” Mrs. Jean Mensah Executive Director of IEA said in the statement.
The statement did not give reason for the postponement.
But John Boadu who is also the National Organiser of the NPP told Martin Asiedu-Dartey on TV3 Midday Friday that the IEA and NPP agreed to postpone the encounter because Parliament did not approve the November 7 for the 2016 elections.
This year’s parliamentary and presidential elections, like the previous ones, would be held on December 7.
“The real major reason is the postponement of the elections from November 7 to December 7,” John Boadu stated.
He further explained that the first postponement was caused by the timing of the launch of the party’s manifesto and campaign.
He said the NPP had wanted to launch its manifesto and campaign on August 4 with the November 7 polls in mind.
The party obviously did not want the encounter to precede the launch of its manifesto, hence the decision to cancel Tuesday’s event.
The party is hoping to launch the campaign and manifesto “early September”, John Boadu hinted, noting that the IEA Encounter could come off anytime in September after the launch.
Meanwhile, John Boadu has described as “fake” a statement purported to have been signed by him denying the postponement. He said it was the hand work of “detractors of our party” but would not mention names.
Already, the presidential candidates of the People’s National Convention (PNC) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Dr. Edward Mahama and Ivor Kobina Greenstreet respectively have had their turn in the series. National Democratic Party’s Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings had her turn last week.
But the governing National Democratic Congress, Progressive People’s Party, and the All People’s Congress have boycotted the encounter series.
By Isaac Essel | 3news.com | Ghana