Akufo-Addo "dividing" NPP, "permitting" thuggery - Arthur K

Two-time presidential candidate of Ghana’s main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akufo-Addo, is not only “dividing” the party, but also “permitting” the use of his name for thuggery and hooliganism in the biggest opposition party.

That is the charge leveled against him by his former Campaign Director, Dr Arthur Kennedy, in an article he wrote in response to Tuesday’s mayhem displayed at the party’s headquarters by some irate gun-toting and machete-wielding supporters of the NPP.

Dr Kennedy wrote from his US base that: “This attack was not the first attempt to use violence and intimidation in settling differences in the NPP in recent times”.

The former flagbearer-aspirant, who, together with 15 others, contested Nana Akufo-Addo for the flagbearer slot in 2007, recalled that: “In 2013, a group of party activists invaded former President Kufuor’s house and tried to forcibly prevent him from attending President Mahama’s inauguration. Last year, after Charles Wereko-Brobbey answered the party’s summons to appear before the Disciplinary Committee, there was an attempt to lynch him, and it required about twenty police officers to extricate him from the party Headquarters. In addition to these acts of violence, there have been intimidation of NPP members on air and through text messages”.

“It is obvious, upon careful reflection that these hooligans—from Kufuor’s house through Tamale to the party Headquarters are being organised, encouraged, inspired and motivated by or on behalf of the 2012 Presidential Candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. While he is a good man, he has permitted a lot of bad things to be done in his name.

"Even though those doing those things may be adults that he cannot control, he can forthrightly condemn violence and insults and dissociate himself from those who traffic in them. He has not done so. As these failures pile up, Ghanaians are increasingly asking whether the candidate who is actively dividing his party can—as President, unite Ghana.

"Respectfully, Nana must know that he cannot reach the Presidency standing on the ashes of a divided, demoralised and disgraced NPP," the medical Doctor advised.