-Former Ndc Top Man
The confession by Mr. Bede Ziedeng a former Deputy General Secretary and one time Acting General Secretary of the opposition NDC that, the NDC has lost the religious politics and also the party has departed from the values it stood for, marks as a truly a confession. There is an adage in our local circle that ‘if the fish comes from the sea to tell you that the crocodile is dead you got to believe it.’
Mr Bede Ziedeng is certainly not a ‘small boy’ and frankly he is one of the respected politicians around. Tellingly his revelation is not that of sour grapes against the NDC but seems to be the precise description for the NDC. Mr.Ziedeng by his revelation, is, inadventedly accusing the NDC of having lost ‘decent politics’
There is no denying that many well-meaning Ghanaians are worried about the tactics being deployed by the NDC-they never engage in decent politics but rather politics of victimization and foul play. The plain truth, though, is that, not all members of the NDC are engaged in dirty politics. I have always applauded the few who engage in religious politics, those few who are desperately trying to bring reforms into the party, bringing the party in conformity with acceptable democratic path but unfortunately the ‘unreligious politicians’ won’t allow them. The disciples of the Founder and Leader of the party always accused those who want to see democratic ingredients introduce into the NDC as traitors and ungrateful. If you are unlucky, you are likely to be beaten and driven out of the party.
Religious politics is the situation whereby a party plays according to the rules of the land. It also connotes the ability to adhere to the original philosophy that brought the party into being. The PNDC/NDC core philosophy was their self-acclaim belief to help the disadvantaged in society. That was the more reason why, I believe, so many youth supported the revolution embarked upon by Mr. Rawlings then. Many precious lives lost and properties destroyed since Mr Jeremiah Rawlings coup. His henchman destroyed promising families but they moved on, forgiving them for the atrocities meted out to them, taking solace that perhaps their crusade will make Ghana a better place for all, but No; throughout Mr. Rawlings rule, not only did he snub the oppositions but also persistently used a ‘communism style’ to suppress opposing views in his own party. The strategy of silencing dissent in his party has made the NDC the most fearful political party in the country.
At times it is very hard to fault Mr. Jerry Rawlings since he wants the party to be governed on his views or ideology. Mr Rawlings military background and also his admission that his rebellious attitude stemmed from his mother’s strictness and perhaps, regrettably, might be reasons influencing the way his party is being run.
Again, no one can dispute Mr. Rawlings qualities and his vision-very passionate - but sadly he has failed to mould his qualities on well-tested democratic tendencies. He wants to set the agenda and wants a different style of democracy in Ghana but one thing Mr. Rawlings and his supporters have failed to recognise is that the Venezuela, Russia, Libya etc style of governance can not be introduced in Ghana, forgetting that abundance of oil in those countries made their governments to rule and behave as they deem fit. (Readers will remember how repeatedly Mr. Rawlings had said that he does “not believe in democracy’’)
The NDC when in power embarked on an unrighteous politics to perpetuate their rule. Their electioneering advertisements since 1992 have been in a very bad taste and at worst very unhealthy. Then Presidential Candidate Kufour was depicted as an AIDS patient and destroyer of Ashanti Kotoko Football Club and any other businesses that he had been involved in. The various dirty tricks that the NDC systematically embarked upon during those trying moments are very horrifying to be described in this article.
The terror that the P/NDC brought to Ghanaians are fresh in our minds. Many Journalists and Analysts in the media dare not speak against the Mr. Rawlings and his NDC.
Truly, some of us need not to be told about the NDC’S diabolical tactics by Mr.Bede Ziedeng, Ghanaians should glance through the pro-NDC papers and will understand what this former NDC scribe is referring to. These are people who could concoct that a purported coup had been seen on the Internet against their (NDC) Government. On 18/02/08 the National Organiser of the NDC was heard on Peace FM saying that some members of the NPP are planning to plant cocaine in the cars of the NDC Members of Parliament, what kind of politics is this? Where is Mr. Kobby Acheampong (the NDC communication and propaganda engineer) so called dossier on President Kufour residence re-enforcement? When Mr. Rawlings Ridge Mansion is renovated, it is okay but when Mr. Kufour residency is similarly done, then they called it corruption, hypocrites! Unspeakable articles and pictures of government officials are always dominating their headlines. They have totally lost decent politics and filthy articles and innuendoes about government officials are their hallmark. It is very scary the sort of things these pro-NDC papers publish.
The NDC has vigorously embarked on using unhealthy and primitive weapon-propaganda- to wound the NPP government. They have in their party, National Propaganda Secretary, Deputy Nat. Propaganda Sec. Regional and Constituency Propaganda Secretaries all aim at embarking on their ‘unrighteous politics’. The NDC is always rehearsing how to diabolically bring the Kufour government down. Any word/s President Kufour echoes is/are sent to their Propaganda Microscope Head office, diagnosed, repackaged (word/s changed) and sent to the electorate as the true utterance/s from the President. The NPP also very naïve in rebuttal and information strategy has allow the NDC to pollute Ghanaians with their propaganda.
Worryingly, any member in the NDC who decides to embark on reforming the party has been a victim of character assassination. Mr. Baba Jamal-Deputy General Secretary of the party- was a recent victim at the Akwaitia primaries. My heart always sinks when I see how a few vigilante oligarchs are running the NDC, to these people the NDC and Ghana is their mortgage thus they have the sole right to govern this country.
Surprise, Mr Rawlings recently accused the NPP government of ruling the country as their private property but he has forgotten that it is his and some members of his party’s posturing and utterances that perhaps might have forced the NPP Government to behave in such a manner. They should stop the unnecessary and unsubstantiated allegations against the Kufour government and surely the Kufour government will reciprocate. If Mr. Rawlings and his party have evidence of corruption and other malfeascences against the NPP, they should provide it; otherwise they should focus on how their party will rule this country differently if the electorate give them the mandate. It is clear that if the NDC should abandon their smear campaign and unrighteous politics and strictly adhere to their so called socialist orientation and package their policies well and sell them to the electorate, there is no doubt in my mind that they will attract some votes.
Unfortunately, reforms in the party can only materialise when the likes of Prof.Atta Mills, Hon. Alban Bagbin, Hon John Mahama, Mr. Baba Jamal, Hon.Harruna Iddrisu Opayin Djan to mention but a few, are given the chance to introduce decent politics into the NDC.It is certainly going to be a very tough battle for the reformers. That is the fundamental reason why voters will continue to reject the NDC in the polls until the party transform itself of the Military and ‘bulldozer’ attitude.
Statements from their Leader and Founder that the Nsawam prison should be expanded, because many Ghanaians especially the NPP members will be jailed when the NDC wins power are clear indication of their intentions. For the NDC, our current freedom of speech and liberty for all Ghanaians are affront to our development. And should they win power, in their current modus operandi, Ghanaians are dead. Journalists will be silenced, and freedom of speech will be suppressed. That is the untainted truth. Supporters of the NDC will be quick to argue that but Mr. Rawlings is not the flag bearer, but as Mr. Atta Krufi wrote in one of his article; “Buy Atta Mills get Mr. Rawlings free” So a vote for Prof. Atta Mills will invariably make Mr. Rawlings a ‘Chamber President’
In conclusion, I urge the ruling NPP government to continue to do everything to deepen our democratic credentials in the country, for the party triumph in democracy and must also continue to create the environment that will attract more investors into the country.
LONG LIVE NPP LONG LIVE GHANA
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