Akufo-Addo’s comments confirm he’s a Tribal Warmonger

*Akufo-Addo’s “All die be die” comments confirm he’s a Tribal Warmonger*

On Tuesday the 8th of February 2011, Nana Akufo-Addo, NPP Presidential Candidate for election 2012 was reported to have spoken to party supporters in Koforidua where he called on his party’s “Akan” supporters to get ready to fight what could best be described as a battle of death in election 2012, encouraging them to get ready to fight because “all die be die, all die be die”. The Secretariat of the NDC UK and Ireland Chapter considers Nana Akufo Addo’s irresponsible comments not only as very unpresidential, but also as a potentially dangerous and violent incitement against ethnic and tribal political cohesion in Ghana.

Akufo-Addo’s irresponsible incitement of NPP party supporters to prepare for “all die be die...” electoral fight confirm the NPP Presidential Candidate is a violent, anarchist Tribal Warmonger. This is more especially so because in May 2009, just four months into President Atta Mills’ term of office, the same Akufo-Addo hinted Ghanaians that there are “militants” in his NPP party when he said: “...sooner or later, militants on our side convinced that the state cannot or will not protect them, may take measures to protect their interest, themselves and their loved ones.” He confirmed this militant attitude in Koforidua last Tuesday when he hinted again that his party’s “militants” committed violent acts in the Atiwa bye-election last year. Nana Akufo-Addo’s penchant for war is a disturbingly unpresidential attitude which is often common practice among the ranks of violent Drug Dealers and Addicts as seen in some Latin American countries’ local politics. This constant incitement of violence deserves condemnation by all well-meaning Ghanaians.

Just recently, Akufo-Addo and his party were busy suggesting Ghana should commit to a violent war in the Ivory Coast, chiding President Atta Mills’ inability to commit the over-stretched Ghanaian Military to enforce the ECOWAS threat of war in Ivory Coast, forgetting that war can only bring about the death of Ghanaian troops and possibly the death of some of the about a million Ghanaians who currently reside in the Ivory Coast. Akufo-Addo and the NPP don’t get it that war in the Ivory Coast has the potential to affect Ghana more negatively than any other ECOWAS member country. Talk about warmongers and nation wreckers! Akufo-Addo and his NPP party have forgotten so soon how they tried—albeit unsuccessfully—to fraudulently cling on to power after President Mills clearly won the 2008 elections.

This latest extremist comments from NPP Presidential Candidate Akufo-Addo is very dangerous for politics in Ghana as it might encourage the kind of violent tactics employed by the NPP’s Danquah-Busia opposition predecessors against President Nkrumah as reported by TIME magazine in its Friday April 26, 1963 edition that opposition bombers “were charged with treason in connection with half a dozen explosions that killed 35 persons and injured 300. The bombing began last August, when the blast of a hand grenade wounded Osagyefo in the shoulder as he drove by in his Russian-made Chaika limousine near the northern border village of Kulungugu.” Why is Akufo-Addo advocating political violence in Ghana? He is too desperate to become President. Ghanaians are very peaceful and hardworking people who cannot have a violent, anarchist warmonger as President.

The NDC UK & Ireland Chapter Secretariat would like to urge the hardworking people of Ghana to condemn Nana Akufo-Addo’s anarchist tribal warmongering comments since such comments are totally inimical to Ghana’s unity, peace and stability—conditions that the NDC party and its leader President Atta Mills strongly believe are necessary for effective national development.

Signed

Prince-Kassim Alubankudi

Secretary, NDC UK & Ireland Chapter

Re:'You cannot intimidate us in 2012,' Nana Addo warns NDC

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Feature Article of Friday, 11 February 2011

Columnist: Agbodza, Kwame

By Kwame Agbodza

Nana Akufo Addo’s is seeing signs of his eminent defeat in the 2012 election. The sad part of this is that Nana does not even understand the very reasons why he lost the 2008 elections. In his recent outburst in front of some NPP supporters in the Eastern Region on Tuesday February 9 published on Ghanaweb Nana attempted to be economical with the truth by suggesting that, the NPP were intimidated during the 2008 election. This allegation is so hollow and weak. It was the NPP who abused the power of the state by intimidating all Ghanaians during the 2008 elections, unfortunately for him, all their money, intimidation, ‘dead body tactics’ voter register inflations came to zilch, he lost.

As usual, Nana once again sorts to play the tribal card... "They have intentions to intimidate us in 2012 because they believe that we the Akans are soft and cowards. If that is the thinking, then we shall see. At least during the Atiwa bye-election, we showed a little of our colours there” he said. If the NPP claims that their party is not a tribal party why will they allow Nana to be branding the party as such? I urge the Christian Council, The GBA and all civil society groups to condemn this loose talk. Nana must remember that the NPP lost in majority of communities in the country. The elections are about Ghana, not about tribes. It is irresponsible to categorise Ghanaians into’ soft or ‘cowards’. It is Nana must understand that he is damaged goods who cannot be flogged. Nana will lose on the ticket of any political party.

How irresponsible can Nana be? His desperation to be president is so empty; Nana is just not trusted to lead Ghana. People also have many questions regarding Nana’s competence and personal conduct. What will actually intimidate the NPP in 2012 is the level of good governance and development that will be showcased by the NDC. These are few points I want Nana to consider before he embarks on his next outburst;

Does Nana actually think that he is considered a serious person capable of managing the affairs of this Great country? Does he not think that many people consider him as someone who has failed to show any leadership in all endeavours?

Does nana think that the issues about his personal life including his attempt to wish away the concern about alleged drug use? This is a serious issue which is indelible on the minds of Ghanaians. The obvious lack of political will to deal with illicit drug trade under the NPP cannot be wished away by threats from Nana Akufo Addo.

How does Nana Akufo Addo explain the point Gabby Otchere Darko made to the Financial Times of UK and published on December 3 2009 that “the NPP appears as raven as it was when 17 candidates vied for the presidential ticket, spending a collective $50m-$80m” The article went on to say that the “NPP politicians’ readiness to deploy their wealth damaged their chances of re-election. Voters were disappointed by what they saw as the profligacy of the NPP, cronyism and corruption”, Mr Okyere-Darko says. Is Gabby right or wrong?

How is Nana going to assure the public that his weakness towards tackling corruption will not ruin the country? On January 7 2010 in a response to allegations of corruption against the NPP government Nana is quoted by the Financial Times of UK as saying... “I am not going to say everything was hunky dory but many of the allegations of corruption made against the last government are just that: allegations,” Which of the allegations were not hunky dory Nana? The NPP is already boasting that none of the people accused of corruption within their government has been found guilty at a court of law yet. All I can say is that the jury is still out and we have to wait and see.

Nana has already predicted that whoever wins the 2008 election will be in power of generations. During an interview published on August 27 2008 by the Financial Times of UK, Nana said “The person who, as it were, gets hold of these resources and uses them well could be in power for a very long time,” says Mr Akufo-Addo. “You’re playing for probably more than for one election in December. You’re playing for power for a generation.” The NDC won and will administer the country in accordance with the will of the people and will be retained in power in accordance with Nana’s predictions

I accept there are challenges in running the country; however, I believe that the public understands the difference between an NPP government that was self centred and grabbing the wealth of the country for themselves and their cronies. Nana must give us a break we are busy trying to fix the numerous problems you created. The list he can do is to suggest prudent alternatives solutions to help build a Better Ghana.

God Bless Us All

Kwame Agbodza