Akufo Addo flees ‘GabbyBomb’

Information reaching the Republic newspaper indicates that the flagbearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo is scheduled to leave Ghana for London on Wednesday November 12, 2014 for an unknown reason and duration.

According to sources, the opposition leader’s travel may have a direct connection with the monumental goof of his nephew and close aide, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko who launched a scathing assault on NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) by describing them as too lazy and ineffective in tackling the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) on the several questionable issues that have generated intense public discourse.

The denigration of the NPP MPs has generated intense anger from these legislators on the minority divide as their already fragile loyalty to the NPP flagbearer is threatened and may consequently lead to apathy for his Presidential campaign for the 2016 elections.

Akufo Addo’s travel coincides conveniently with the escalating anger generated by Gabby’s outburst that directly pitted him against his priced constituents in the party, therefore sparking speculations that he may be fleeing the country to cool off from the heat stoked by Mr. Otchere-Darko.

Meanwhile, details of Akufo Addo’s travel itinerary are sketchy as his aides prefer to keep it under wraps; however, besides the possibility of him fleeing the scene of the unfolding explosive confrontation with NPP members of parliament, there are speculations that the trip to London may also have medical purposes.

Speculations about a possible medical sojourn in London would not go away and keeps popping up despite spirited efforts by his spokespersons to debunk the allegation of the embattled NPP flagbearer needing medical attention before he launches fully into campaign mode.

It would be recalled that this newspaper recently reported that opposition leader would travel out of the country in November for three months even though no medical care has been associated with the trip.

There are sections of the NPP who are of the opinion that the trip is solely for relaxation and medical purpose for an aging flagbearer who will be fast approaching an Octogenarian by the time the 2016 Presidential election swings into full pace.

Some party members are unhappy that anytime there is a brewing tension in the party, Akufo Addo decides quickly to take a leave of absence out of the country. Others sympathise with him, saying because of his health situation, he needs the occasional getaway.

Supporters of John Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng; his closest rival in the flagbearership race of the NPP, know Akufo Ado’s health condition and had hoped to exploit it to their advantage by heading to court to forced the delegated congress to be shifted to November where they knew he would not be in the country, but the court kicked out the suit.

There are critics within the NPP, who want a full disclose of the purpose of Akufo Addo’s frequent travels abroad as speculations of a possible deteriorating health condition gets rife.

Leading the crusade for a full disclosure of Akufo Addo’s medical records is the NPP Member of Parliament (MP) for Nhyiaso and a medical doctor, Dr. Richard Wilfred Anane.

Dr. Anane, a key member of the Alan John Kwadwo Kyeremanten campaign insists Akufo Addo is not in the best of health condition, challenging him to make public his medical reports. According to him, the medical reports would vindicate him in the event that something happens to Akufo Addo in the course of the hectic 2016 campaigns.