Lawyer Nana Akuffo-Addo, Enough Is Enough!

A reader under my last article published 12-11-2012 “If I Were HE Mahama, I Would…”, who probably did not read the entire article nor comprehended it, assumed that I was calling for power-sharing. ABSOLUTELY NO, THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE IN THIS SITUATION THAT GHANA IS IN. What I attempted to show in my article was a voting trend in Ghana which needed to be effectively curbed through collaboration with the “other” mushroom parties to prevent that exact scenario in future elections. I attempted to show a way in which it could be achieved, by calling on the President elect to consider reaching across the political aisle to utilize patriotic people regardless of political or tribal affiliation, in the successful pursuit of his “better Ghana” agenda. This need not be viewed as power-sharing at all, but one of collaboration. Does power sharing not entail appointing the leader of the “losing” opposition into an official Prime Minister role? I don’t see this happening in Ghana. It did not happen in the late Mills’ administration where he was declared winner with just over 40,000 plus votes; how much more a Mahama administration elected with a respectable 3000,000 plus votes?

Be that as it may dear reader, please permit me to conjecture once again, especially as Nana continues his “ALL-DIE-DIE” strategy to become President of our mother land Ghana at all cost. As I write this December day of 11th 2012, Lawyer William Danquah Akufo-Addo, after meeting with stalwarts of his NPP party, has decided to pursue legal means to remedy his electoral grievances, a summary to the content of an article entitled “Nana Goes to Court over Rigged Election” on Ghanaweb. In another article on JoyFM titled “2012 election results will not be accepted, Akufo-Addo insists”, it stated that Nana Akufo-Addo was “emphatic” about his clarion declaration. REALLY? Another Ghanaweb article titled “NPP won the elections- Nana Addo”. Nana, Mo! Mo! Mo! You are really on a roll on this cold Tuesday, I my case! In yet another Ghanaweb article, “Chief Justice to hear NPP and Akufo? Was this not the same Chief Justice Georgina Wood who was heard in an audio played on Radio Gold’s “Election Forensics” conferring with his in-law Attah-Akyea about how to stop the result declaration of the 2008 run-off election, by having similar electoral grievances heard in court, “In-Camera” on a public holiday and was heroically estoppped by one Judge Asante? This same Chief Justice has already hastily set up a commission to hear Akufo-Addo’s grievances? Wow, have the electoral results been gazetted as they say in Ghana, in order for such grievances to be heard? What is the haste dear Ghanaians, one would ask? You need to ask cogent questions and expect to receive sensible answers from leaders of your public institutions. Could this same Chief Justice be allowing herself to be used as a “pun” in his “all-die-be-die” pursuit to attempt to stop the swearing in of the president elect, HE Excellency John Mahama, on January 7th, 2013? Let me make myself clear here- I do not begrudge Nana Addo’s attempt to remedy his grievances in a court of law; if in fact they are genuine, then that is the right way go, as long as he follows the rule of law to the letter on his way. I totally understand that he has worked tirelessly on behalf Ghana’s democracy, and feels he should be awarded or “thanked” with the high office of President of Ghana. I also understand the kind of pressure excessive debt can create on a person; if infact he is indebted to “invisible” power brokers with whom he had made “certain” promises which are now in jeopardy of fulfillment, I can, as a human being, understand Nana’s desperation of trying any means possible to solve his “personal” and impending situation- but to what extend should he be allowed to go? Perhaps, plunging a peaceful oasis like Ghana into the brink of chaos? Could this kind of desperation by Nana, be a sign of an embittered man at the end of “his rope” sadly, who may be on course down by taking down the viability of his entire party, which he probably feels inside had failed him (even if not articulated, and rightly so), and everyone and everything in his path, into utter destruction? I see a pattern of a man that DOES NOT CARE a hoot about his life-long built reputation, and instead of doing the honorable thing and conceding, and rather work towards uniting an already splinted country with the President elect, would rather take the country down; and he will do it with over zealous youths who are “hungry” to showoff their manhood, and in so doing, even maim and shed innocent blood with impunity?

Trust me, I am not writing this article “gleefully”, but rather out of a “pain stricken spirit” knowing that what history had written the world over, particularly in Africa, could very well repeat itself in Ghana, if leaders from all divides do not effectively manage this developing crisis NOW. Ghanaians are peaceful by nature, but in the famous words of my mother, “if you are stealing from a blind man, and he senses the food is getting finished, he will react”- in this case the food is “patience”-to date, it has taken the heed of wise counsel by NDC youths to avoid any provocation or confrontation with NPP youths. Hence, I am writing this with utmost haste, as a concerned progeny of the motherland. Everyday that goes by without Lawyer Akufo-Addo conceding, he adds inflammation to his “all-die-bie” supporters’ emboldens egos. These overzealous youths have began to systematically perpetuate beatings, stabbings of opponents, issuing threats of use of catapults, threats of burning down media houses and on and on, hence placing Ghana in very, very vulnerable situation right now. Note that true to what the pictures are showing, it is overzealous MACHO YOUTHS that NPP leaders are manipulating in an attempt to terrorize mother Ghana. I shutter to ask you dear readers, please go and look at these pictures on JoyFM, and please kindly report on your comments on my article if you see any children of these NPP “non-conceding” stalwarts that are giving Akufo-Addo bad advice to continue his treacherous pursuit to plunge the most peace country in Africa into chaos? Do you see Nana Akufo-Addo’s daughters in their mist? Are they not also in their youth? Where are they by the way? I bet safe and secured in a Western country by any now, right? What about President Kufuor’s children? Do you see Kennedy Agyepong or Osafo-Marfo’s children in these pictures of NPP demonstrators? So Akufo-Addo knows that peace and stability is invaluable to the safety of his children, yet he is perpetuating a deliberate plan which guarantees nothing but instability for the children of the mothers and fathers he is so “all-die-be- die” to rule? Is this fair, dear reader? That the elites of society will want to lord over the same people that they will at a whim attempt to destroy? Is it fair that so far the NDC supporters have heed the call of their leaders, particularly the President, to exercise restraint, yet NPP supporters are allowed to continue rove the streets in an attempt to unleash provocative tactics on their counterparts?

How far should this situation degenerate into before civil leaders from all walks of life in Ghana press on Akufo-Addo to concede defeat? Do they want overzealous youths from both sides roving on the streets creating chaos before some sense is “pounced” into Nana? The Cameron government of the UK and the Obama government of the USA have congratulated the President elect, with president Obama “urging Ghanaian voters to accept the result” (another article on Ghanaweb today). President Obama accorded Ghana a great honor when he chose her as the destination to address Sub-Sahara Africa after his historic election, in 2009. He and the late President Mills had a very cordial relationship for which he probably wants to continue with President Mahama; but look at what Akufo-Addo is doing in his deliberate effort to tarnish excellent image of Ghana the world over, to discredit it- the same image he help built as a beacon of democracy, he is now willing to destroy to achieve his selfish will? Can Ghana be referred genuinely as a viable example of a success story of democracy after this election, should it be plunged into chaos? Once again, I do not begrudge Akufo-Addo, if he resorts to pursue his grievances in a court of competent jurisdiction- as a prominent lawyer himself that is the way to go. What I fear is his indoctrination of these overzealous NPP youths, in the likes of Sammy Awuku and Karbo, who were caught on 2011 recordings saying that they could not survive for 12 months, let alone the next 4years under an NDC government, hence, they intend to pursue Nana’s treacherous plan of being “called” president at all cost. What happened to Nana’s pledge not to spill ANY blood over this election? Can Nana Addo control his mafia if their NDC counterparts also decide to retaliate and take matters into their own hands? Those of us overseas with families back home are very, very worried! We are worried for Ghana at large! We are worried for her precious peace and stability! We are worried that actions of selfish politicians could send her progress back into the dark days of yester years!

If Nana intends to continue his selfish agenda, which, as of today is very clear that he intends not to concede, then the Mahama government should ask Nana to assign another peace agreement, titled the “Accra Accord” in which Nana must be made to assure the peace and stability of the 25m Ghanaians that he is currently attempting to hold “hostage, by promising be in control of his supporters’ actions AT ALL TIMES.. Without this pledge, security forces should be ready to arrest Nana for any casualty that results going forward. Particularly, where the casualty is death, they should bring his “all-die-die” ambitions to an abrupt end, by arresting him and the bad advisors surrounding him! Yesterday and today, his supporters are calling for use of catapults and other items that don’t need “licensing” to be carried while they rove the streets- perhaps the security forces maybe able to shield themselves from such items, if NDC supporters continue to exercise restraint and not confront these trouble makers…But if tomorrow they become emboldened further to begin use of licensed or unlicensed firearms, how do you think the security forces will respond when provoked or when their lives are threaten by these raging and lawless youths? Is it not common law to use “proportional force” to stop an attack of an equally proportional force? Nana, the more you continue to pursue this treacherous agenda of yours at all cost, the more you are likely to fuel and embolden your supporters to the boiling point- and THEN WHAT? Nana, if you want to rule Ghanaians that bad, aren’t you already a Royal? Why not go back to Kyebi, your hometown and sit on your “divine” stool there? I am sure they are ever ready to carry you around day-in-day out in a palanquin (decorated in NPP colors) and parade you around! HEY, you can even carve Kyebi into the “Lesotho of Ghana”, and nobody would care- it already is anyway; the President cannot step there and NDC supporters cannot have freedom of movement there! As for Ghana, it is a beautiful and a blossoming example of true democracy and the people have spoken by their thump prints- your attempt to “lord” yourself on those who have rejected you will only prove to be futile! As for Ghana, it is a beacon of hope for refugees, and it should AT ALL COST NOT turn her citizens into refugees. The Bible urges all to seek wisdom, because it is “life and health” for the bones! Nana, listen to “wise counsel”; wise counsel from the NPC, IDEG, and other civil society leaders, maybe even the Asantehene who may have called on you publicly and or privately to urge you to practice the democracy that you have always preached as the hallmark of your NPP party! Nana, did you not learn anything on your way to the “Wailing Wall”in Israel? Haba! Enough is enough!

Estorme Manya, December 2012