Why is Arthur Kennedy “slaughtering” Akufo-Addo so soon?

By Dr. Michael J.K. Bokor

Friday, September 5, 2014

Folks, the heat is already being turned on Akufo-Addo from within his own party. Dr. Dr. Kobina Arthur Kennedy, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) who is also the former Communications Director for the NPP at Election 2008, is jumping on him, making very serious allegations, indicting him, and virtually re-opening the can of worms to dim Akufo-Addo’s light.

Dr. Kennedy worked closely with Akufo-Addo at Election 2008 and later wrote the searing account of why Akufo-Addo lost the elections (_Chasing the Elephant into the Bush_). He wasn’t given any frontline role at Election 2012; and he seems to have discovered ways of “slaughtering” Akufo-Addo. And as an Akufo-Addo aide (Mustapha Hamid) put it the other day, Dr. Kennedy is on a mission to destroy Akufo-Addo. Why should he do so?

Folks, his latest challenge to Akufo-Addo raises very serious issues:

1. AKUFO-ADDO AS A VIOLENT MAN

He has charged one of the contenders for the flagbearership race, who he describes as an “insurgent candidate,” to come out and expose Nana Akufo-Addo’s bad record on violence.

To him, Alan Kyerematen must devise a new strategy by questioning the rationale behind the deafening silence of Nana Akufo-Addo on the numerous violent incidents that have occurred in the party recently.

“… Ask why he has kept quiet on the many violent activities of people believed to be his supporters? Why is he quiet? Why did he say ‘all-die-be-die’ and why did he say Atiwa? Put those questions to him and expose his record on violence,” he urged on NEAT 100.9.

According to Dr. Arthur Kennedy, posing these questions would bring to bear the stand of the 2008 and 2012 Presidential candidate of the NPP and how he has contributed to violent situations over the years.

2. AKUFO-ADDO NOT A UNIFIER

Dr. Arthur Kennedy also questioned the two-time NPP Presidential Candidate's credentials as a unifying and peace-loving leader.

“To win, if he (Akufo-Addo) becomes the nominee, he needs a united party that has dealt with corruption and violence and intimidation behind him. To get there, he has huge mountains to climb... Ghanaians would quite properly wonder whether a leader who is not inclusive in his party and will not forthrightly condemn violence or talk of it in his party can unite Ghana and guarantee peace as President,” he said.

3. AKUFO-ADDO HASN’T LEARNT ANY LESSON FROM HIS ELECTORAL LOSSES

To him, Nana Addo has not learnt from the mistakes that led to his defeat in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections and for that matter, Alan Kyerematen, who is the “insurgent candidate” in this race must come out strongly in exposing the former NPP leader’s bad reputation concerning violence.(Source:http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=324538)

MY COMMENTS

The persistent jumping on Akufo-Addo by Dr. Kennedy these days is setting the stage for something that will hurt Akufo-Addo again. The issues are serious enough to provoke more than the man can swallow. Those not well disposed toward him will definitely fall on them to damage him again. The fact is that Dr. Kennedy is fanning the fire that has persistently been burning in Akufo-Addo’s political edifice.

He has ever worked closely with Akufo-Addo and should know more to reveal; but why is he behaving like a wounded tiger at this time, especially after Akufo-Addo had emerged strongly from the just-ended super delegates' congress as a likely Presidential candidate for the NPP?

Is Dr. Kennedy “slaughtering” Akufo-Addo to dim his chances at the October 18 delegates’ congress? Is he a hurt supporter of Kyerematen who is doing all he can to gore Akufo-Addo out of the way?

Wow!! I can’t believe that Dr. Kennedy is even faulting Akufo-Addo over his “All-die-be-die” clarion call at this time when he could have added his voice to ours before Election 2012 on that score. Gradually, the insiders will tell us what we need to know about Akufo-Addo to reinforce whatever poor opinions we may have about him.

As a friend has put it in Akufo-Addo’s defence, "... One thing I admire about Nana is he is really an independent man; he doesn't even care/react when his name is being dragged in the mud; no interview, no re-rejoinders; nothing but pure, complete silence!!..."

I am quick to respond to this stance. You admire somebody like that who turns himself into an ostrich when serious and damaging issues about him are raised in the public domain to damage his political interests? Somebody like that who either chooses to hide behind others (as Nana Bediatuo and Co. did for him regarding allegations of profuse drug use?) or to remain adamantly silent and pretend to have developed a tough skin? Or to put his shock-absorbers into over-drive and soak up the pressure, suffering silently when hit hard? Or to hide behind Dr. Bawumia at the election petition hearing because he cannot stand scrutiny?

Such an attitude is neither admirable nor worthy of praise. He needs to "man up" and face his accusers by counteracting their noise with facts. Only then can he claw back lost credibility. Look, Bill Clinton, Obama, and our own Jerry Rawlings didn't have to remain silent or hide behind others when allegations of "wee smoking" were being made about them. (Obama's might be cigarette smoking, though). They owned up and explained circumstances, which virtually disarmed the noise makers. Unless Akufo-Addo has something to hide, he should "man up" too.

Don't tell me that he doesn't have time to waste on such issues or people. Eventually, those issues end up derailing him; so, why not confront them once-and-for-all to clean his own slate? It is not always true that silence is golden. For Akufo-Addo, silence does more harm than good, which he should have known long before now.

If he is quick to respond to issues concerning how the Mahama-led administration is managing the affairs of state, why can't he do same to what damages his own reputation? This time, silence will mean either consent or assent!!

Dr. Kennedy's strong language against Akufo-Addo speaks volumes. Indeed, “things are really knocking things” at this stage!!

I shall return…

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