President Mills snubs Akufo-Addo

The Drama that unfolded during the 2008 Fetu Afakhye, when then candidate Mills’ bodyguards clashed with then President Kufuor’s security men, was re-enacted, albeit diplomatic means, in Cape Coast last Saturday, when the Presidential aides prevented President Mills from greeting Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, the presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Information pieced together by the Chronicle newspaper indicates that Akufo-Addo, who arrived with his entourage earlier, was stopped on his way to greet the government officials on the dais, by the aides of the President, led by Nii Lantey Vanderpuye. The former ace sports commentator turned politician, prevented the NPP leader and his entourage from greeting the government dignitaries, including the Paramount Chief (Omanhene) of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, on the account that President Mills was on his way to the durbar grounds.

As if it was planned, President Mills, after receiving cheers from the crowd and greeting the various dignitaries when he arrived, failed to exchange pleasantries with Akufo-Addo and his team, who were sitting next to the Omanhene, and moved straight to greet the Paramount Chief.

The President also did not acknowledge the presence of Nana Addo in his address. Political pundits believe that the attempt by the side of the President to block Nana Addo from greeting the government delegation was a ploy to prevent him from overshadowing the President with his presence. The Chronicle newspaper also gathered that though President Mills and the Master of Ceremonies (MC) did not acknowledge the presence of Akufo-Addo, the latter showed respect to President Mills by standing on his feet when he was leaving the durbar grounds.

Meanwhile minutes after President Mills left the venue, Nana Akufo Addo, in the company of party bigwigs such as Mr. Isaac Edumadze, former Central Regional Minister, Mr. Kwamena Bartels, former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Mr. Boakye Agyarko, and a host of others, stole the show at the ceremony. The excitement which characterized the scene was beyond description and the police had to intervene to pave the way for Nana Addo, who was dressed in rich ‘kente’ cloth, to leave.