NPP must re-asses Jinapor's closeness to Akufo-Addo

The NPP must re-asses Abu Jinapor's closeness to Nana Akufo-Addo.

Nana Akufo-Addo is on course to winning December's election. I have painstakingly over the past few months been worried over some issues bordering on Abu Jinapor who calls himself an "Aide to Nana Akufo-Addo". I have also followed the chieftaincy problem between his father and the King of Gonjas. My motivation for bringing this up is not out of mischief but out of the hope that this issue does not affect the NPP Flag bearer in terms of of his life and in terms of votes before the electionas a result of his association with one of the Jinapors, now seen as enemies to the Gonja Kingdom.

I am a silent but strong supporter of NPP and has never been comfortable with this Abu Jinapor man ever since he crossed from the NDC to NPP. I know many people may dispute my conclusion on him because he goes round from media to media talking for Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP. But I have read that a great spy or mole is the one who cleverly works to clear any iota of doubt or trace of his activities. We have watched movies of great spies even killing to gain the trust of who ever they are working against.

Abu Jinapor was originally NDC. How did he wormed his way to become an "Aide to Nana Akufo- Addo"?

Why is that Abu Jinapor wormed his way to the inner circle of Nana Akufo-Addo at the same time his brother John Jinapor (now Spokesperson to the President) wormed his way to become a confidant of current President John Mahama when he was MP for Bole-Bamboi and tipped to become the NDC running mate?

Abu Jinapor and John Jinapor I am told were in opposite parties. Abu Jinapor was NDC and John Jinapor NPP. In fact John Jinapor was sponsored by the NPP to become President of the Graduate Students Association of Ghana (GRASAG). How come they reversed political parties?

Abu Jinapor is cunning and smart and has so many ways of working to please people or working against people. It was this Abu who played out one Mahama Haruna, a son of an NPP hero in the Gonja areas and a former aide to NPP Chairman Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey from politics. He did this through a text message to some leading NPP members. Haruna is now confused, frustrated and behaving like a hypocrite after worming his way to become close to President Mahama. He claims he is still NPP but recently attacked Dr Braimah Cliford for saying Gonjas should not support President Mahama. Though I liked Haruna because he worked so hard for NPP and for his families track record with the Danquah-Busia tradition, I took him to the cleaners by revealing some facts on him and he has since been quiet.

Abu Jinapor was accused by Twum Boafo , the Chief Executive of the Free Zones Board of taking money from him and also moving from NDC appointee to the other taking money. Did the NPP investigate this issue?

During the 2007 Presidential Primaries of NPP in which the NPP had 16 contestants, Abu Jinapor had a very excellent proposal put together by an expert to support a candidate of his choice. It looked at a practical way of winning the NPP primaries. What did he do with this proposal? He only changed names on this single document and distributed it to about 10 of the aspirants. Many bought into it and took him serious. Nana Akufo-Addo's campaigners were given a copy. Alan Kyeramanteng accepted it and his brother became a regular visitor of the household of the Jinapors at the Airport Police Barracks where Abu Jinapor's father was a Police officer. Arthur Kennedy was in touch with Abu Jinapor. Proffessor Mike Ocquaye paid so much for the document. In fact many of the aspirants felt Abu Jinapor was on their side. This is the character Nana Akufo-Addo and his people are dining and wining with.

Why do the NPP think Abu Jinapor would in all sincerity love Nana Akufo-Addo and the NPP more than his father? Abu Jinapor is the favourite son of his father and mother and so if President Mahama is perceived to be fighting for the interest of Abu Jinapors father who was sacked by the King of Gonjas as Chief of Buipe, where would his loyalty be?

It would surprise readers to know that ever since John Mahama was sworn in as President Mahama he has never met the King of Gonjas though he is a Gonja. There is a serious rift between the President and the King of Gonjas to the extent that the President has arrogantly refused to visit or pay any courtesies on him. This is simply because of the dispute between the King of Gonjas and the father of Abu Jinapor.

The King of Gonjas I am told has asked President Mahama to sack John Jinapor as his spokesperson but the President refused. Why? It is believed John Jinapor is very useful to President Mahama. It is alleged Abu Jinapor passes classified information from Nana Akufo-Addo's inner circle to his brother John Jinapor who then passes the information to President Mahama. Why would a revered King ask for a small fly like John Jinapor to be sacked and the President refuses?

If a counter argument could be made that the NPP might also be benefiting from Abu Jinapor in terms of getting access to some information from his brother John Jinapor then one may be right to say Abu Jinapor is the most dangerous character in NPP and John Jinapor the most dangerous in NDC. They must be watched carefully by the two leading parties.

The King of Gonjas has been angry with President Mahama for his perceived meddling in the Buipe chieftaincy wrangling through his spokesperson John Jinapor who happens to be the father of the sacked chief of Buipe.

It would be recalled that in 2010, the Gonja Traditional Council at one of its major sittings unanimously agreed to dis-skin the Buipewura Mahama Abdulai Jinapor following an alleged show of gross disrespect towards the Overlord of the Gonja Traditional Area, Yagbonwura Tuntumba Bore Essa Sulemana Jakpa I. However, the embattled Buipewura, said the King and for that matter the Gonja Traditional Council of which he was a senior member, had no jurisdiction to de-skin him.

The Buipewura, who felt his fundamental human rights had been infringed upon, headed for court to have the decision of the Gonja Traditional Council overturned. He did succeeded. An Accra High Court ruled in his favour and the Gonja Traditional Council asked to reinstate him to his position as substantive chief for Buipe (Buipewura) with all other privileges. He was also awarded damages by the court to a tune of GH¢3,000.00.

Following another ruling by the Appeals Court in Kumasi dismissing a writ filed by the King against the Buipewura for continuously holding himself out as chief of Buipe, the first son and spokesperson of the Buipewura, Dr Abdullai Jinapor went on rampage. He served notice that anyone who stands in the way of his father from undertaking his duties as the traditional leader of the area, will be dragged to court for contempt. Before a an annual Damba festival by the Jinapors his son Dr Abudulai said:

“It is being alleged that the Yagbonwura is marshaling forces to come and disrupt this ritual, and we are telling the Yagbonwura that we believe in peace. We are ready to defend ourselves, but if he attempts to do anything untoward, then we will be prepared to take him on, so at the end of the day we are calling for peace”.

This was a statement that infuriated many Gonjas. Many Gonjas have therefore resolved to vote for NPP because of these issues.

The King of Gonjas is so displeased with President Mahama for interfering in the Buipe chieftaincy dispute and has not only publicly asked his people to vote against President Mahama but has issued a statement saying he has not asked any Gonja to vote for President Mahama. He has told Dr Mumuni Bawumia the NPP running mate during a recent visit that he would ensure that the best party won the 2012 presidential elections. He also gave his full blessing and unwavering support to the NPP in the upcoming December elections.

The Damongowura on the same day at his palace also backed his King by stating that the NPP and its Presidential ticket of Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia are the only credible choice in the december General elections saying there is no alternative to NPP. The Damongo Wura urged NPP and its supporters to fight a good fight and not to rest on their oars till the party is finally declared victorious come December.

The only problem of many Gonjas is Abu Jinapors closeness to Nana Akufo-Addo. They are afraid of an influence on Nana Akufo-Addo by another son of the sacked Buipe Chief should they vote for the NPP.

By Abudulai Jakpa. jakpaabudulai@yahoo.com