NPP Men Of Reason Cowed

• As Akufo-Addo & Jake Embark On Reckless Self-Promotional Agenda

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has entangled itself in the quagmire of reckless promotional agenda by its twice defeated flagbearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and national chairman, Mr Jake Otanka Obetsebi-Lamptey. The two party hijackers have so far succeeded in keeping s stranglehold on the party and making it almost impossible for the men of courage and voices of reason in that party to question their conduct or act in ways that they do not sanction.

The two who, together with Dr Mahamud Bawumia, running mate to Nana Akufo-Addo in the two consecutive elections of 2008 and 2012 in which they have been defeated, are petitioners in the case before the Supreme Court challenging the 2012 election result, and have put in place a systematic strategy of putting the ‘fear of God’ in members of the NPP whose views are contrary their agenda to pursue the useless petition in court as long as it will take, for their personal aggrandisement.

The NPP has a tradition of watching one another’s back, managing differences within and covering up the weaknesses of members in ensuring a semblance of unity in the public eye even in the most ridiculous circumstances. But this attributes are turning out to be the NPP’s weakest point since the otherwise vociferous party remains helpless as it watches Nana Akufo-Addo and Jake hijack the collective party interest and turned it into a catalyst for their self-promotional agenda.

Hanging On At All Cost

Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey and Nana Akufo-Addo emerged from the same faction within the NPP to become chairman and flagbearer respectively. Both have been the advocates of the party’s ‘all-die-be-die’ and ‘at all cost’ philosophy. Jake professed the belief that the presidency of Ghana is the ‘birth right’ of Akans and the ethnic group must not sit down and be denied that right and so must resort to violence means like their counterparts in Ivory Coast to make that happen in the 2012 election if they feel cheated in the 2012 elections.

Against this backdrop, Jake and Akufo-Addo have systematically painted a picture in the minds of NPP supporters that the party was cheated in the 2012 election. But more importantly, it is a means for the two personalities to keep their stranglehold on the party.

It would be remembered that one main campaign issue used by Jake in knocking off his predecessor, Mr Peter Mac Manu as chairman of the NPP at the congress that elected him was that as chairman, Mr Mac Manu failed in ensuring victory for the party in the 2008 election. Is it any wonder that after failing to win the 2012 election for the party, Jake is engaged in this self-promotional agenda by alleging a non-existent “systematic fraud” in the media and “irregularities” at the Supreme Court?

Nana Akufo-Addo, like his party chairman feels he has a ‘reputation’ to keep. He must remain in the minds of supporters as the fiercest fighter for the course of the party in contemporary politics in Ghana. This sentimentality of his was confirmed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NPP think tank, the Danquah Institute, who has stated on record that the case being pursued at the Supreme Court by the petitioners is informed by “POLITICS” other than “LOGIC.”

This is not surprising as there are strong indications emanating from within the NPP that the twice defeated Nana Akufo-Addo still has his eyes firmly fixed on the flagbearer position of the party in the 2016 elections, and the best way he can convince the NPP delegates to give him another nod is to portray himself as the winner of the 2012 election who was cheated by the Electoral Commission and President John Dramani Mahama.

Cutting The ‘Men’ To Size And Keeping Them In Check

Nana Akufo-Addo and Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, by a systematic strategy, have kept in check men of courage and conviction who have been known to represent the most powerful voice of reason in the NPP. A media propaganda machine is sent after any NPP person who dares to raise objections to the conduct of Nana Akufo-Addo and Jake. Also worth taking note of is the manner in which some young men and women in the party, who call themselves the ‘Yong Patriots,’ move into action anytime a view contrary to that of Akufo-Addo and Jake is expressed. This remains a case critical enough to consider.

Former President Kufuor’s Agony

President Kufuor was embarrassed when an attempt was made by some young men and women to physically stop him from attending the swearing-in ceremony of President Mahama. This was after the National Executive Council (NEC), the highest decision-making body of the party, gave the former president clearance to attend the ceremony in his capacity as former President. Is it any wonder that both Akufo-Addo and Jake have still kept a stony silence on the shameful conduct of the young NPP members?

What even strengthens the suspicion that Akufo-Addo and Jake could be the masterminds of the action of the recalcitrant NPP youth is that both of them have since kept a stony silence over the matter. Surprisingly, the party’s General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie, who was present at the meeting that took the decision on former President Kufuor, denied any knowledge of any such decision being taken at the meeting. This statement from the NPP scribe caused former President Kufuor, who described the statement as “unfortunate” to personally defend himself on several radio stations in lengthy interviews.

The former President has since recoiled into his shells and is said to be applying the ‘wait-and-see’ attitude, as he is yet to accompany the defeated NPPP flagbearer and his co-petitioners to court.

It would be remembered that former President Kufuor was misled by Jake to tell an untruth to the African Union Chairman, President Yayi Boni that Akufo-Addo’s votes were stolen, in some instances as much as 10,000 votes, and added to President Mahama’s votes, a diplomatic gaffe whose wounds he is said to be nursing.

Dr Charles Wereko-Brobbey’s woes

Dr Charles Wereko-Brobbey has had to put up a spirited fight in his own defence in the wake of a well-orchestrated media attacks from Akufo-Addo and Jake’s followers in recent times, his crime being that he sounded a voice of reason in drawing the NPP’s attention to the fact that the current court case is detrimental to the party’s success in the 2016 elections, calling on the party to consider withdrawing the case and begin a rebuilding effort towards the next elections. In an attempt to sit him up, the founding member of the NPP has been vilified to the point that he is told he is not a member of the party.

Threats On Akowuah Tuffuor

A Tain constituency executive of the NPP, Mr Akowuah Tuffuor, has also come under heavy ‘artillery fire’ from some members of his own party amidst threats on his life and the lives of his family members because he disagrees with the conduct of defeated Nana Akufo-Addo and Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey in the way that they are leading the party.

The party leadership has indicated it is considering a decision to sack the constituency communications director of the party because he expressed his dissenting view on the refusal of Nana Akufo-Addo to concede defeat and how in his candid view he is wasting the party’s time in court when it is clear that the petition at the Supreme Court is much ado about nothing.

Appiah Menkah Wades In

Before Dr Wereko-Brobbey’s call, Mr Appiah Menkah had advised the Akufo-Addo-led NPP to stop the street protests and go to court. That was the time that NPP supporters, on the instigation of their leaders, were on the rampage killing, stabbing, beating innocent people seen with NDC paraphernalia and destroying cars with President Mahama’s effigy on them.

It was then beginning to appear as though the voices of reason in the party would prevail at the end of the day. But after having seen the trauma former President Kufuor has been subjected to, Mr Appiah Menkah and others like him seem to have caved-in whilst the defeated NPP flagbearer and his cohorts continue to hold sway in the party.

Fierce Resistance Soon

Privileged information picked up from within the NPP by The Catalyst however give strong indications that there will be a multiplicity of the Wereko-Brobbey’s in that party soon, as several individual members are bracing themselves up for a showdown with the Akufo-Addo leadership whose reckless actions are making the party to become unattractive and spelling doom for it.