I regret going independent, I am sorry Prez Akufo Addo - Nii Noi Nortey

A former New Patriotic Party (NPP) chairman of the Korle Klottey constituency Nii Noi Nortey is asking for clemency from President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, having defied him to go independent during the 2016 elections. 

Nii Noi won the initial primaries to contest the parliamentary seat on the ticket of the then opposition NPP, but his main contender Philip Addison challenged the integrity of the internal poll in court and won. 

Addison won the rerun
and represented the party in the general elections, but lost to Zanetor Rawlings. An aggrieved Nii Noi contested the seat as an independent candidate, despite persistent behind the scenes calls on him to drop that decision. 

Speaking to Agoo TV’s Maame Broni on his birthday, Wednesday May 3, 2017, Nii Noi confessed that he regrets his decision and must be forgiven. 

“It hasn’t been easy… I will like to use this opportunity to forgive anybody who opposed me and also anyone who I might have offended,” the young politician opined. “When you are young you get people telling you to do all manner of things. 

However, I want to use this opportunity to ask for forgiveness and especially my political godfather – former President J.A Kufuor. He even called me to rescind my decision [to go independent] but there were a lot of circumstances on the ground which didn’t allow that.”

He stressed: “I want to use this opportunity to apologise to the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo because he also called me to rescind my decision and I didn’t listen. I must say it wasn’t an issue of disobedience, but there was a lot of politics on the ground which I can’t go into. 

“Yes, I regret going independent. The circumstances which led to that was unfortunate. In life sometimes you have to make some tough decisions. I’m really sorry to the big men I failed to heed their advice. 

“I’m apologizing to these big men Nana Addo, Kufuor, Bawumia including Anthony Karbo, Mustapha Hamid for all my actions.” 

Nii Noi repudiated claims he wants favours from the president hence his plea. 

“I don’t start a journey I can’t finish. I don’t think I’m ready for a position now. This is a genuine apology. I really love my party and I can’t turn my back on it. It’s rather unfortunate it ended up this way but I’m only asking for forgiveness,” he begged.