Arthur Kennedy Must Rather Be Commended For His Book

I have had the earliest opportunity to read Arthur Kennedy’s Book on chasing the elephant in to the bush the politics of complacency. It is a 196 page book; it was published on 28th October, 2009 by Author house. Below is an editorial review of the book which perfectly summarises it for those who have not as yet read it. I deliberately copied and pasted the editorial review to enable readers have an idea about what the book is all about.

EDITORIAL REVIEW OF THE BOOK

"CHASING THE ELEPHANT INTO THE BUSH" is an insider's account of how the governing New Patriotic Party lost power in the closest elections in Africa's history. The writer believes that providing an accurate account will begin the process of correcting the rumours, lies and myths that are out there about the 2008 elections in Ghana. Throughout, the book is liberally sprinkled with quotes and historical references that ;make it very informative and interesting. He begins with the state of the nation and the governing party as Ghana approached 2008. He then takes the reader through the NPP primary and his own experiences as a losing candidate. There is candid discussion of the rivalries in the campaign that undermined its effectiveness. He takes the reader inside meetings and quotes some of the key players at key moments in the campaign. There is candid discussion of the roles of the media, the security forces and civil society. The identification of issues and their use in the campaign is discussed thoroughly. While his sympathies are never in doubt, he is very objective and acknowledges the mistakes made by the campaign, the government and the party. He credits the NDC Campaign for doing certain things well. Amongst these is the deployment of President Mills and former President Rawlings as well as Vice-President John Mahama. He reveals the roles of key people, including the President, the Presidential candidate and powerful groups, like the "Kyebi Mafia". He offers candid assessments of all the key players. He suggests reasons for the NPP defeat and the way to recapture power. This will be a very significant first cut and reference point for an account of the 2008 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections in Ghana”

Having read the book thoroughly my impressions are that, it is a perfect book which has the overwhelming potential to return the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to power in 2012 if the lessons and revelations in the book are heeded to without the unnecessary empty hullabaloo which is being generated now.

There is nothing untoward about the book and it couldn’t have come any other time than now. Perhaps the bitter truth inherent in the book is what is making some few people uneasy about it. The truth is that, there is nothing in the book that has already not been said by Journalists, social commentators, party activists and the general public about how the NPP handed party to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2008.

The irony however is that, some of the very persons who are today faulting the book have themselves since NPP lost the 2008 elections made similar comments that Arthur K enumerated in the book. This double standard and hypocrisy from certain personalities must be stopped if the NPP is to win the 2012 elections at all.

The NPP in my view must be endlessly thankful that one of their own has documented events in a very sincere, truthful and passionate way that can serve as a wealthy material for an assured NPP victory in 2012.

What is wrong with an insider of the NPP writing a book about why his party was defeated in closely fought elections in the annals of elections in African? I hope nobody is suggesting that, Professor Mills or the NDC should have been commissioned to write such a book for the NPP.

Who in NPP is not aware of the “Akanisation and Akyemisation” of the NPP in the 2008 elections? Was it not for tribal reasons that over 18 persons competed with a sitting Vice President His Excellency Alhaji Aliu Mahama to lead the party and rather disguised it as an internal party democracy? Why was then candidate Kufour not had even a single person compete with him in 2003 primaries of the NPP? Was there not internal democracy in the party in 2003?

What is wrong if Arthur K should make reference to an issue which was already known by every Ghanaian everywhere in his book? Or the NPP thought it was so clever than everybody in Ghana and that nobody realised the open discrimination and division in the party before election 2008?

When Nana Addo was conducting himself as an automatic President of Ghana and even started visiting some African leaders to associate with them was he and the NPP not aware Ghanaians were irritated and angry?

And when some key personalities of the party were sidelined in the campaign of the NPP and only brought on board when it was rather too late, was the NPP still expecting victory in such a situation?

Has somebody in NPP ever questioned former President Kufour why he decided to support Ala Kyeremanteng rather than his Vice president for eight years; Alhaji Aliu Mahama? Did anybody question him? All these were the early signs of an NPP defeat in 2008.

What need to be done is for the lessons in the book to be implemented to the core if the NPP is to win power any soon. The arrogance and excessive complacency of the NPP must just end right now for the better.

Nana Addo, and Alan K must ride themselves of the notion that one of them would have to lead the NPP by all means for the 2012 elections. I have my doubts about how either of them can win elections for the NPP in 2012.

The bitter truth is that, selfish interest must give way to the collective interest of the NPP to recapture power in 2012 and for me the wrongs of 2008 must be righted. His Excellency the former Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama must be the NPP candidate for 2012. The opportunity is not yet lost to demystify the NPP as being an Akan or Southern party.

It is my believe that, if all in the NPP should rally behind the former Veep with all sincerity, honesty, and loyalty the party will be back in 2012 with the NDC going back to its hole. The delegates of the NPP who usually picks the Presidential candidate of the party must help make this a reality. NPP is not for sale and who leads the party should not be the highest bidder.

The delegates must be told that, there is a world of difference between a higher bidder leading the NPP and the same person receiving the acceptability of all Ghanaians in an election. So to the NPP delegates, an NPP victory in 2012 rests on you, and who you will choose for the party when you assemble to choose a candidate for the party next year.

For me I insist that, it must be his Excellency the former Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama for 2012. Any other candidate will divide the NPP more than recapture power for the party.

I salute Arthur K once again for his thought provoking book. It is my wish that the NPP would embrace the valuable recommendations in the book and start its implementation before 2012 and stop the unnecessary and needless fault finding trip it has embark on currently.

It is even my hope that Arthur K would come out of a part two of the book which I would be very happy to contribute at least some three chapters in to very soon.

Thanks once again Arthur K for a book well written.

Akilu Sayibu, UK Email: Akilu.sayibu@live.uwe.ac.uk