Sekou: NPP becoming unattractive

Dr Sekou Nkrumah, son of Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, has cast doubts about the New Patriotic Party’s chances of winning the hearts of non-members of the biggest opposition party to aid Nana Akufo-Addo’s dream of annexing the presidency in this year’s election.

According the outspoken social commentator, the presence of some kingpins in the NPP he described as “ugly characters” are driving away people from associating with the opposition party which is struggling to warm its way into the hearts of Ghanaians in pursuit of victory in the November polls.

“Someone should tell Nana Addo that, ugly characters like Ken Agyepong and Karbo make the NPP very unattractive” Dr Sekou, who is a member of the NDC but had vowed to vote for Nana Akufo-Addo, stated.

The maverick politician’s comment on his facebook wall was in apparent reference to Hon. Kennedy Agyapong’s spiteful attack on the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Madam Charlotte Osei. Mr Agyapong’s derogatory comments have been roundly condemned by well-meaning Ghanaians except members of the NPP.

The NPP MP for Assin Central last week took the chairperson of the EC to the cleaners, alleging she was appointed because she yielded to sexual demand of bigwigs in the Mahama government.

The foul-mouth MP and close confidant of Nana Akufo-Addo claimed the EC boss would not have been appointed if she never had ‘sex’ with somebody in higher authority he failed to name. “Charlotte Osei bring your buttocks (sexual affair) in exchange of EC Chair position (fa woto be gye golf)” he regrettably alleged.

His senseless and unprovoked attacks on the EC boss has roundly received condemnation from right thinking and peace-loving Ghanaians except his own NPP folks who have put spirited defense for his ill-mannered conduct.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Madam Hannah Serwah Tetteh; Gender and Social Protection Minister, Nana Oye Lithur; private legal practitioners, Ace Ankomah and Sampson Lardi Ayenini; founding president of IMANI Ghana, Franklin Cudjoe have all condemned the Assin-Donpim born braggart’s conduct.

Others who have added their voices to the condemnation of Kennedy Agyepong’s vituperations included Youth Leader of the Progressive Peoples Party, Divine Nkrumah and Ark Foundation, Christian Council, National Association Charismatic and Christian Churches, Ghana Bar Association and Ahlussuna Wal Jama’a among others.

Meanwhile, a deputy Communications Director of the NPP, Anthony Karbo, says the party will not condemn its eccentric NPP, “I don’t think the party needs to come into this matter and I don’t think the party will go into this matter…the party shouldn’t. I don’t have evidence to what Ken is alleging, maybe he has. The media must call him and demand of him the evidence he has to his allegation. He may well be able to produce it,” he noted.

He warned Ghanaians not to underestimate the capacity of the party’s unconventional MP to produce evidences to back his claims.

“You can never underestimate Ken Agyepong, for all you know if we push and push him he might be forced to bring out his evidence. You remember there was a time that we were told there was a video of President Mahama, involved in an illicit activity in Parliament before he became Vice President, and even when he became President…I’ve seen that video, we’ll not use it for campaign.

“Ken said he was not going to release that video but people doubted him when he said he had it. I went to his house and he played that video for me to watch, I saw what happened in that video, but I’m not talking about it. But if we push Ken Agyepong more, he may be forced to come out with his evidence. If he comes out with a video, the very same people who are asking Ken to apologize for his comment will say…oh he didn’t do well, he should have never brought it out,” Karbo stated.

But, Dr Sekou Nkrumah would not take any of the explanations Anthony Karbo and other NPP officials are proffering to justify Kennedy Agyapong’s attack on the EC boss. He insisted the duo have made the NPP unappealing.

Early this year, suspended National Chairman of the NPP, Mr Paul Afoko also doubted the party’s chances of winning this year’s election.

“If I had not been suspended and my plan for power had been followed, then I would have been able to confidently give you an answer that we can win the election…even the NDC; looking at our activities would know that they had already lost. I can’t say definitely that we will win the election…,” he stated on Accra-based United Television (UTV).

A political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr. Bossman Asare also made similar observation when the party’s Upper East regional Chairman, Adams Mahama was acid-bathed to death.

“If party members are doing that to their own people when they are struggling hard to get power, then I’m sorry to say that they have failed their members because their brand is no more attractive. NPP will continue to be in opposition for many years should they continue this way” he warned

Renowned Ghanaian business mogul and a former Member of the Council of State, Dr. Alhaji Asuma Banda late last year also told Accra-based Television Station TV3, that Nana Akufo-Addo can “never be President of Ghana.”

Alhaji Asuma Banda’s pronouncement was a rehash of what Nana Kofi Coomson, publisher of Chronicle newspaper, said about the NPP flag bearer. “No, no, no; it’s not safe, it’s not safe…I cannot sleep with Akuffo Addo as president!!…” he noted.

Former MP for Asokwa and close confidant of the NPP flag bearer, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, has also been caught on tape admonishing party supporters that Nana Akufo-Addo would be a terrible president if elected to lead this country.