Kwabena Agyepong is the Most Vilified Politician

.... in Ghana after Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.

There is no way the son of a lion will give birth to a she goat. Initially, I had wanted to adopt what the Cicero of Western Politics, late Chief Bola Ige referred to as “siddon look” approach to the on-going skirmishes amongst the gladiators for the National Executive positions in the NPP.

However, I was jolted back to reality when I heard some reckless utterances from Kofi Konadu Apraku and Tina Mensah. The utterances I am hearing today are reminiscence of political contest between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who were both eying the Presidency of the United States.

What I heard on the airwaves last week during “Efie Kwanso” programme hosted by Kwame Nkrumah “Tikese” of OK Fm has brought to the core the dangerous mind set of some so-called NPP members who are hell bound into achieving the General Secretary position of the party for their masters.

I am referring to David Osei, Spokesperson/Personal Assistant to Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, aka “Sir John”, current General Secretary and also a contestant for that position. There were series of innuendos he made which were targeted at Kwabena Agyepong, a contestant for the same position his (David Osei) boss is aspiring for. In a nutshell, his attacks were aimed at portraying Kwabena Agyepong as a saboteur and mole in the party. I strongly feel the elders of the party should call him to order.

It is said “akutia nim ne wura” (innuendos know their target). Anyone who listened to the programme will come to only one conclusion. They were targeted at Kwabena Agyepong. He made one illogical conclusion by asking how any politician worth his sauce could condescend very low to vie for a party’s General Secretary ship’s position after he had earlier vied for the party’s flag bearer ship.

As I always do with those who attempt to deceive the masses with their faulty reasoning, I would like to give him some free tutorials to improve himself and the chances of his boss the next time he decides to vie for a position as sensitive as General Secretary of a Great Party like the NPP.

John Quincy Adams whose tenure as U.S. President spanned between 1825 and 1829 won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1830. In 1833 he ran for office as Governor of Massachusetts but lost. Andrew Johnson was President of the United States from 1865 to 1869. In 1868, he ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate and lost. In 1872, he again ran for a seat in the U.S. Congress, but this time in the House of Representatives. Again he lost. But he was third time lucky. He won a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1974.

President William Howard Taft was President from 1909 to 1913. In 1921, he was appointed Chief Justice. Would you say he should have rejected the offer?

In Nigeria, Chris Ngige was Governor of Anambra State of Nigeria, and was removed by an Election Tribunal in August, 2005. In April, 2011, he contested and won a seat in the Nigeria Senate to represent the people of Anambra Central. Bamanga Tukur was Deputy Governor of Gongola State on the ticket of the NPN IN 1983. He took over from late Abubakar Barde and was in power for just three months before the army struck. He later became Chairman of the current ruling Government, PDP. Would David Osei regard those positions as demeaning? What about Chief Jim Nwobodo, First Executive Governor of Anambra State at the age of 39. In 1999, he became a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

During the Second Republic, Both Cornelius Adebayo and Don Etiebet were Governors of Kwara and Cross Rivers States respectively. They later contested and won seats in the Nigerian Senate. Ahmed Yerima, Saminu Turaki, Ken Nnamani and Ahmed Adamu were governors of Zamfara, Jigawa, Enugu and Nassarawa states respectfully. They later entered the Senate as representatives of their people. In 2011, Adamu Aliero from Kebbi State, Bukola Saraki, Kwara, Ali Modu Sherif of Borno, George Akume of Benue, Bukar Abba Ibrahim of Yobe and Joshua Dariye of Plateau, entered the Senate, after they had served as Governors in their respective States. Does that mean demotion?

In an article by one Mohammed Alhassan, he made an incorrect deduction by stating that, Kwabena Agyepong has “demoted” himself to wanting to become the General Secretary of the NPP. This illogical line of thinking was echoed by David Osei, spokes person for “Sir John” during his tirade against Kwabena Agyepong on OK FM.

And if I may ask, what have David Osei, Mohammed Alhassan and Sir John got to say about Jake’s attempt to annex the NPP chairmanship slot? He too contested for the Presidential slot of the party in 2007! Was that demotion? Honourable Isaac Osei, MP for Subin, Honourable Dan Botwe, MP for Okere and others had vied for the presidential slot of the party before becoming MPs. If we were to go by the “illogical thinking” of David Osei the only conclusion we would come to is that the two had “demoted’ themselves by aspiring to become MPs after they had unsuccessfully lost their bids to become the Party’s Presidential Candidate.

I sincerely believe that the copious examples I have given are enough to tear David Osei’s argument into shreds. Readers should not overlook the fact that whatever argument or point a spokesperson or Special Assistant raises has the approval of his/her boss. And if this is the way Sir John is going to prosecute our “war” with the Nefarious Destructive Cancer, then, I am afraid our NPP will be in serious trouble.

Come to think of it, a lot of paid pseudo writers have written and said that Kwabena Agyepong is arrogant, selfish and self centered. The names Charles Nii Teiko Tagoe and someone who calls himself Nana Kwadwo Akwaa easily come to mind. The former even went to the ridiculous extent by saying that Kwabena Agyepong hates Gas. He thinks he will succeed if he plays the ethnic or tribal card, but he is greatly mistaken. What is it that Kwabena Agyepong has said or done to show that he hates Gas? He should mention at least one of such things he is alluding to otherwise he should bow down his head in shame. I used to admire Nii Teiko Tagoe and supported him in his bid to clinch the Chairmanship position of the party in Trobu Constituency, but with such reckless and vicious allegation coming from him, I will have to revise my scale of preference about those whom to support and respect in the party..

If someone refuses to acknowledge your greetings, does that make it a crime? The only conclusion that could come from Nii Taiko Tagoe’s unguarded statement is that he has brought the name and reputation of Gas into disrepute. He therefore owes all Gas a sincere apology for crying wolf where there was none.

I will digress a bit by recounting an incident which occurred in the early Nineties in Nigeria. The evil genius and Maradona, President Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida had supported the bid of Prince Ajibola to occupy a vacant seat on the International Court of Justice at The Hague. The Human Right groups in the Nigeria led by Femi Falana and Dr Beko Ransome Kuti had submitted a dossier on Ajiboye which contained series of Human Rights abuses committed during his tenure as Federal Minster of Justice and Attorney General. Prince Ajibola eventually won the seat. A Thanks-Giving Service was organized in his honour. During the ceremony, both Femi Falana and Dr Ransome Beko Kuti went to the dais to greet the celebrant but the latter refused to take the outstretched hands of the two. The implication was not lost on the two and all present. One should not malign nor destroy one’s kinsman without justification.

I have recounted the above incident to illustrate the fact that one cannot made nasty or sarcastic remarks behind one’s back and later pretend to be the best of friends when the two meet. The fact that Nii Tagoe Teiko supports a different person for the position of General Secretary does not warrant the sort or remarks he has been making on many social media/network against Kwabena Agyepong. The latter’s refusal to acknowledge his greetings was a natural reaction to his tantrums and innuendos.

On the issue of arrogance, I strongly disagree with all those making such frivolous allegation. What is it in Kwabena Agyepong’s demeanor which suggests arrogance? Is it his straight-forwardness or uprightness? You see, Kwabena Agyepong, like Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo will look at you and tell you what he feels about you. He does not like pretence and it is such trait that people who are afraid of their own shadows have attributed to as arrogance. Any genuine supporter of the NPP should be the last person to come forth with such an infantile allegation. What did people not say about Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo when he decided to vie for the party’s flag-bearer ship for the 2008 Presidential Elections? It took strong and consistent rebuttal from some of us to get that image changed, and I am very proud to be one of those who took the initiative to change such negative perception about Nana Akufo Addo..

Kofi Jumah’s exhibits the same trait as Kwabena Agyepong and Nana Addo. When you are convinced of the rightness or genuineness of your action, you articulate your points with so much passion that the uninformed and semi literate would attribute to arrogance.

On selfishness, I would rather say that those making such allegations are uninformed, and “educated illiterates”, who have just landed on earth from a different planet. It could be that they have chosen to be ignorant because they have a mind of mischief. Who doesn’t know of Kwabena Agyepong donation of his office apartment to be used by the NPP Communications Directorate? The facility is near the Nima Police Station. He gave the facility to the party for two whole years without taking a single pesewa or kobo. Does this portray selfishness on his part? In fact, Kwabena is too generous to a fault – a quality that is lacking in Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, aka “Sir John”. Kwabena Agyepong eats, drinks and breathes in the principles of the New Patriotic Party. Would David Osei be kind enough to tell party men and women any visible contribution his boss has made to enhance the fortunes of the New Patriotic Party?

Is there an “Agenda 2020” in Kwabena Agyepong’s dictionary? Far from that! Kwabena Agyepong is a diehard member of the New Patriotic Party. All those espousing that line of argument, especially, David Osei should go down on their knees and beg God for forgiveness for having connived with others to conceive such a blasphemous act against God and their fellow human beings. And that includes Sir John, because that notion was articulated strongly by David Osei, his Personal Assistant. Initially, such agents of confusion had said Kwabena had his agenda in 2016. Now they have shifted the goal-post to 2020. How could a human being in full control of his senses come to such vicious conclusion that that Kwabena Agyepong wants to be General Secretary in order to thwart the effort of Nana Akufo Addo from being President in 2016? How could a genuine supporter of the NPP conclude that we do not want our party in power in 2016, but in 2020? Do we know the plans of our Maker and Creator? How can we be sure that we shall be alive in 2020, the year NPP prophets of doom are predicting that we shall be in power?

Those people peddling such allegations of “Agenda 2020” against Kwabena Agyepong are wicked, ungodly, unprincipled, and callous and do not have the interest of the party at heart. They are apt to no good and will have their deserved punishment at the appropriate time, and it will be sooner that they expect. Just mark my words. “Hena na wosu na wode tofe hye nano a obepe ago” (Who will spit out a candy of toffee from the mouth even if he/she is crying?) Which person in Mahama’s Ghana will choose to live under this careless, insensitive, clueless and visionless government for even one more day if he/she has a choice? May be it is David Osei and his boss “Sir John”

I now come to the main reason why I am strongly opposed to the “retention” of both Jake and Sir John as Chairman and General Secretary of the party, and I would want everybody to listen well and good. Just before the Registration Exercise started either by divine intervention or otherwise, I was able to unearth a plan hatched by the Nefarious Destructive Cancer to cheat in the 2012 Elections. I went to the Party Headquarters and after being made to wait for more than five hours, do you know what the two told me? The expression they used is too bad to recount here, and so I will spare readers something that will spoil their appetite.

It was then and there that I came to the conclusion that both the Chairman and the General Secretary had nothing good for the party and should go. I called some top members of the party and communicated my findings to them. They include Nana Akomea, John Boadu, Dr Matthew Poku (Napo), Frances Essiam, and Ken Kuranchie. You can confirm this from any of them. I also sent my findings and comments to a few selected members of the party through their e-mail addresses. They include the party’s flag bearer, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, Gabby Otchere Darko, Marlon Anipa, Hayford Atta Krufi, Michael Sarpong, Hon. Beatrice Boateng, Dr. Frimpong Boateng, Hon. Osei Kyei Mensa Bonsu, Dr Amoako Tuffuor, Georgette Djaba and others. You may also confirm from them. I also dispatched same to some private newspapers.

It bleeds my heart that both the Chairman and the General Secretary who refused to act on such sensitive information that could have guaranteed a free and fair elections and outright victory for today are today asking delegates to vote for them.

One thing I want our delegates to remember before they cast their votes is this. We elected Mac Manu and Nana Ohene Ntow to perform a certain task. They failed and we booted them out of office. Jake Obetsebi Lamptey and Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie were voted into power to win back power and restore our majority in Parliament. Those were their primary assignment and they have failed woefully. They even performed abysmally during our court case at the Supreme Court. Did we have to go through the issue of duplication of pink sheets if they had performed their assignment meticulously? They inaction and carelessness put our Vice Presidential Candidate, Dr Bawumia in a tight corner.

Let me repeat for the avoidance of doubt that Sir John and Jake are just using Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo’s name to shore up their waning popularity. At the Sunyani Congress where President John Kufuor was made the party’s Candidate, did Kwabena Agyepong not support Nana Akufo Addo? And when Kufuor became President, did he not appoint his main Challenger, Nana Addo into his Cabinet and make Kwabena Agyepong his Press Secretary? Did Kofi Juma not support Alan Kyeremanten’s presidential bid. Is he not now a vociferous supporter of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo? What about Stephen Amoah and John Kumah? The two were known supporters of Alan Kyerematen prior to both the 2007 and 2010 Congresses which produced Akufo Addo as the party’s Presidential Candidate. But the duo did speak positively on Nana’s good plans for the party if he was voted into power. John Kumah even incurred the wrath of NDC supporters when Kofi Adams ordered him to be arrested? So what is David Osei and others saying here?

Just as I was getting my script ready for the press, I heard more reckless, unguarded, divisive and anti-party utterances from this same “troubler of Israel”. David Osei. I never thought a day would come when I would hear a political neophyte like David Osei would brand an accomplished surgeon and one of the most decent politicians the country has ever produced (Dr Frimpong Boateng)as a saboteur and mole in the NPP? Have we thrown decency to the dogs? Is this how Sir John will command his riotous thugs to insult party elders who disagree with his views?

Our esteemed delegates, you have to be careful on the people you choose to lead the party. To be fore-warned is to be fore-armed.

I am flabbergasted by the attitude of Sir John and his rabid dogs and vipers. His stony silence in the face of insults and tantrums his touts are hurling at party elders who disagree with him (Sir John) is akin to late President Mills’s stance whenever his “greedy bastards” and “babies with sharp teeth” insulted members of the NPP. But I shouldn’t even be surprised because “okoto nkowo anoma”. (The crab does not give birth to a bird) and the son of a lion will definitely not sleep with a she goat. Whatever comes out of Sir John’s mouth stinks. We should therefore expect same from those who follow him.

Where were David Osei and his boss, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie when Dr Frimpong Boateng was operating aboard a plane on an NPP supporter who received bullet wounds from armed NDC thugs during the Chireponi bye election? What about the Akwatia re-run election? Did you ever hear of his name being mentioned? No! He, like the former Fillipino leader, Mrs. Marcos Aquino who hid herself under her bed when she heard of a coup attempt against her government, ran to safety when the NDC mob appeared at the scene wielding dangerous weapons and chanting war songs. If he is a man with two balls hanging between his legs, he should tell us where he was. Empty barrels make the most noise.

Would David Osei and his ungodly people who have just descended from hell tell party men and women the exact words his “employer” used when Tsatsu Tsikata came up with the allegation that our immediate flag-bearer had attended Oxford University and they would like to know why and how he did that. Sir John retorted that the party would not respond to the allegations. Is that the way a party General Secretary should respond to such a serious allegation against his party’s Flag bearer? In fact, die hard supporters of the party did not know whether or not the allegation was true or false.

It took the “positive intellect and Solomonian wisdom” of Kwabena Agyepong to silence the vociferous crowd in the Nefarious Destructive Cancer. “It was the wish of Akufo Addo’s parents”, he said and that silenced the “cacophonic” voices emanating from the stables of the NDC. Yes, it was a master stroke. If Kwabena Agenda did not want Nana Akufo Addo to become President at that time, why should he come to rescue the party at a time the character and credibility of its presidential candidate was at issue?

Let it be said that there is nothing like Agenda 2020 – a mantra which has been mischievously concocted by agents of destabilization and the devil against Kwabena Agyepong because his detractors see power slipping off their hands. But Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie is a “recycled” politician who is bereft of any positive idea as to how to move the party forward. He is using Nana Akufo Addo’s name to shore up his waning popularity. He is a goner and betrayer to the principles of the party.

Esteemed Delegates: Would you rather Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie clings on to the General Secretary ship of the party and keep our party perpetually in opposition or vote pragmatic and vision oriented Kwabena Agyepong to the position of General Secretary to enable the New Patriotic Party regain power at both the centre and the Legislature?

I have followed Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo all my life. I believe and share in his vision. I will never change my support for him. I have written a lot of positive things about him. Where some elders of the party have deemed some aspects as “no go areas” I have ventured there. I have over 200 write ups on Ghana web, Modern Ghana and various web sites most of them in support of the New Patriotic Party. I have carried our “espionage” activities for the party, one of which unearthed the NDC’s attempts to cheat during the 2012 General Elections. I have not received a kobo or pesewa from anybody. I have used my own resources to articulate the positive aspects of the party. Some of my write ups have earned me death threats and insults, but I still remain unshaken in my belief that the NPP has better prospects for the party. I have not for once deviated from my unshaken faith in Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo.

I am a grass root member of the party and therefore articulate the views of majority members of the party. I have tested the waters and know its depths. And I am saying that vote Kwabena Agyepong as General Secretary and you would have done Ghanaians and the party a lot of good. If you want us to remain in opposition for long, retain Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie!

Is the name Kwabena Owusu Afriyie synonymous with Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo? Why then do Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie and hired crowd brand anybody who challenges him as anti Akufo Addo? What has he used his office as General Secretary to achieve for the party? He is doing colossal damage to Nana Akufo Addo’s presidential dream. Nana should call him to order before he does the unthinkable as he is behaving like a “demented dog”. The way he has been branding people like Kwabena Agyepong Allan Kyerematen

, Frimpong Boateng, Paul Afoko, Stephen Ntim and all those who are opposed to his retention as General Secretary, as anti Akufo Addo, reconciliation would be difficult if Nana wins the Presidential bid of the party.

Having watched and listened to this bull in china’s shop exhibit his anti democratic tendencies, I am inclined to agree totally with Kobby Acheampong that “Sir John” is indeed “kokoase kuraseni”. Nothing can be further from that.

And it is that, Sir John is falling …. Falling…. Falling… Sir John is falling to rise no more. Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, alias “Sir John” is a goner. Vote him out. This is the people’s verdict. Vote in Charismatic, principled, pragmatic, indefatigable and result oriented Kwabena Agyepong. His is the people’s choice.

Daniel Danquah Damptey (Damptey_daniel@yahoo.com)0243715297