This NPP Chairman must be investigated.

Sulemana Zackariah, alias "Saddam Hussein" who happens to be the most notorious smuggler in the whole of the Western corridor of the Northern Region is the Chairman of NPP for Bole-Bamboi. "Saddam" a gun runner and one noted for supplying guns he buys from the rebels in Northern Cote d' Ivoire to conflict areas in Northern Ghana like Dagbon and Bawku has also been smuggling tons of cigarettes from Guinea through Northern Cote d' Ivoire and Burkina Faso to Ghana thereby cheating government of taxes now boasts of many cargo trucks and other property in Bole and Kumasi.

He used this ill-gotten money to bribe NPP delegates during this years NPP elections thereby winning against the clear favourite Brutus Abubakari Mahama, a level headed, humble and a cool businessman and farmer who happens to be one of the many sons of the NPP Founder in Bole-Bamboi Alhaji Mahama Salifu. We were told 'Saddam' spent over 20,000 Ghana cedis just to be Chairman of an opposition party.

From 2003 to 2006, Bole was rocked with the exhumation of dead bodies from the main cemetery for ritual purposes. This issue was a taboo topic since no one wanted to speak about it. It was rumoured 'Saddam was the leader of the gang of grave looters but no one in the town including the Chief of Bole, Bolewura Amantana Gbeadese (II) dare talk about the issue because. "Saddam" was feared.

It is baffling this man who was aided and also given the freedom to operate and indulge in his unpatriotic and criminal activities by the NPP government has continued with his smuggling and gun-running under the NDC government although he is an avowed enemy of the party and government.

As I write, this Chairman recently on Wednesday 23rd June, 2010 knocked down the main CEPS barrier in Bole with one of his vehicles allegedly carrying smuggled goods and runned away to Kumasi. We have been told he is a wanted man in Bole now but I doubt if anyone can arrest him. He is a fugitive hiding in Kumasi but will the security agencies in Bole act? I am surprised the security agencies in Bole most of whom are on the pay role of 'Saddam" continue to turn a blind eye to his nefarious and unpatriotic smuggling and gun running activities.

What is worrying is the fact that, he has promised to continue to disgrace Vice-president John Mahama anytime he comes to Bole. "Saddam" a violent, rude and arrogant NPP man has misbehaved towards John Mahama in the past and must therefore be checked, if possible hauled before the police for threatening to deal with this peaceful man John Mahama anytime he sees him in Bole.

During the 2004 election, this same "Saddam" verbally assaulted John Mahama and nearly attacked him at a Polling Station called Yelwa Yoruba Church-Zongo if not for the presence of some of his brothers like Alfred Mahama and Peter Mahama. The crime of John Mahama was the visit to some polling stations in Bole township. In the 2008 Elections, he repeated the same act by disrupting a meeting John Mahama organised. He also rained insults on John Mahama's late father E.A. Mahama who was a Minister under Kwame Nkrumah's government. He once said EA Mahama is the most useless Minister Gonjas have ever produced since his only house in Bole is leaking and his family members in Bole suffering.

Again during the 2008 election, the same "Saddam" appointed himself as the sole monitor of John Mahama's activities in the Bole-Bamboi constituency. He therefore followed then Vice-Presidential candidate John Mahama everywhere with his ill-gotten Toyota Tacoma Pickup with registration number AS 4630 Y everywhere when John Mahama was touring the constituency. John Mahama as peaceful as he is restrained and warned all NDC activists from attacking him.

At a point however John Mahama told "Saddam" at a place near the Catholic Church that, "I hear you have money but it will serve you good if you take your time".

Also to join in the investigation is 'Saddams' party, the NPP. He has not only be arrogant to NDC members but has also been maltreating and insulting his own party people. During the NPP National Elections, this chairman campaigned against Otiko Afisah Djaba current NPP National Women Organiser. He vowed to teach Otiko a lesson should she come back to Bole to contest as a Parliamentary candidate.

A petition from ten NPP executives in Bole-Bamboi I had the opportunity of reading recently stated that, at the handing over ceremony of the old executive of NPP to the new, he gave the 2nd Vice-Chairman some terrible slaps and it took the intervention of passersby to cool the temper of this uncouth Chairman. Upon this shameful act he went outside to brag that he has beaten up the 2nd Vice-Chairman and others opposed to whatever he says or does and that others shall be added at the right time.

The Chairman according to his fellow executives unilaterally sacked two appointed executives for no apparent reason and boasted that even the Regional Chairman and National cannot reverse his decision. He did not only end there but went ahead to manipulate the Constituency Album of his party by removing names of his critics, an act that is criminal and against his party's constitution.

An attempt was made for the NPP's Constituency Council of Elders and Patrons to bring the Chairman and his accomplices to book. This failed because he said none of them can advise him. It is surprising the likes of the Constituency Secretary, Youth Organiser, Womens Oganiser as well as party activists like Salamatu Forgor, an arrogant and failed former DCE and Mahama Haruna, a former Journalists, Akufo-Addo devotee and a so called staffer at the NPP Headquarters are those backing the Chairman . The actions of the NPP Chairman and his accomplices has made Alan Kyeramaten's people to be making in roads in the Bole-Bamboi constituency which is seen as a stronghold of Nana Akuffo-Addo.

My investigation tells me the Nana Akufo-Addo camp will soon crumble because both Mahama Haruna, a former NUGS Secretary who betrayed current Deputy Minister of Information Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa when he was NUGS President and Salamatu Forgor, the most unpopular former DCE for Bole and one known for an excessive pride have expressed interest in contesting the Bole-Bamboi seat on the ticket of NPP.

Saddam needs to be investigated by the security agencies and his party as quickly as possible especially his recent act of knocking down a CEPS barrier as well as beating up of his critics.

By Seidu Abubakari

seiduabubakari@rocketmail.com