Until the new pressure group, Get Alan Kyerematen Elected (GAKE) stood up to challenge the status quo in the NPP, there was seeming "culture of silence" in the party that claims to be democratic. For fear of victimisation and discrimination, majority of NPP members pretended to admire Akufo-Addo and praised him even when he made political mistakes with regard to his utterances. As of now, there are millions of NPP supporters who see Akufo-Addo as NPP and NPP as Akufo-Addo. To them, without Akufo-Addo, there is no NPP. They see him as the only 'sensible' person within the NPP who can lead the party into victory and put Ghana on the right economic path. Was Akufo-Addo not an MP for 12 years? Was he not a Cabinet Minister for 7 years? Has he not been an "Opposition President" for 8 years? What has been his remarkable political achievement to suggest that Akufo-Addo is the man to save Ghana from her economic woes?
Even in his continuous failed attempts to win power for the NPP on three occasions, these 'idol-worshippers' think Akufo-Addo still has a chance to beat John Mahama in 2016, forgetting that John Mahama used only three months to beat him in the last elections. They continue to defend the insensible, whilst wasting precious time to sell the party's campaign message to the electorates. Every election year, it is Akufo-Addo's time so others should wait. In 2008, it was Akufo-Addo's time; in 2012, it was Akufo-Addo's time, and Election 2016 is fast approaching and these same people are asking Alan and Co. to wait because, it is Akufo-Addo's time again. When will his time be over?
Regrettably, those of us who have been bold enough to educate the party members, especially, the delegates on Akufo-Addo's electoral deficiencies have been at the receiving end. For how long would Akufo-Addo's supporters continue to insult those of us who don't support his candidature? Do these people understand democracy at all? Do they value other people's freedom of choice? Do they value other people's opinions? Why do they expect all of us to follow and support Akufo-Addo to lead the NPP for the third consecutive time? Haven't these people come to the realisation that Akufo-Addo has taken the NPP from a ruling party to opposition party for 8 years? Can't they open their eyes and see that Akufo-Addo is a failure in that regard? What is Akufo-Addo's message for the party and Ghana as far as the 2016 elections are concerned? What has he done to suggest that he is serious in winning power for the NPP in 2016, if I may ask?
For me, Akufo-Addo has done nothing significant to merit another opportunity at the presidency. All that he has been doing is organising big rallies to defend his old age. He goes on to say that he is physically fit and emotionally sound, among others. Whether telling voters about his physical fitness at age 73 years adds extra region or vote to that of the NPP, it is only Akufo-Addo who can tell. Didn't Atta Mills run 100m at the Kotoka Airport to tell the world that he was physically fit at age 68 years? What happened afterwards? So, who will be swayed by Akufo-Addo's fitness at age 73 years? If Akufo-Addo thinks he is fit at age 73 years, then he should apply for a Physical Trainer's job somewhere, because whether we like it or not, the NDC will attack his old age. We can't defend him all the time.
My message for those who continue to rain insult on me is simple. I want to let them know that, I am politically mature; I have sense of judgement; I am not a stooge; I do politics of principle and conviction; I don't do politics because of monetary rewards; Neither Akufo-Addo nor Alan Kyerematen influenced me with money to support any of them; I always make the right choice for my beloved party and country.
Upon all the favours Akufo-Addo received in both 2008 and 2012 elections, in terms of financial and moral support from NPP members, and even against the death of a sitting president and incumbency advantage in 2008, Akufo-Addo could not beat political minnows like Mills and Mahama. How on earth could he do so in opposition at age 73 years? How could he erase the 323,663 vote deficit between him and a sitting president, John Mahama?
It is only Akufo-Addo who complains of cheating any time he loses national elections. To him, he has never lost, but always robbed. Is Akufo-Addo so soft to be robbed? Was he not the one who said God gave every man two balls, and that we should be bold to face the NDC, because, "All die be die"? Didn't we stand a few meters of the ballot boxes and helped the EC to count the votes? Didn't our Polling Agents take records on the Pink Sheets? If Akufo-Addo couldn't stop the EC from rigging as he always alleges, what is the guarantee that Akufo-Addo can protect our votes, come 2016?
I, Katakyie Kwame Opoku Agyemang, have the strongest conviction that, Akufo-Addo, even though a very fine politician, cannot win power for the NPP in 2016, and must be changed ASAP.
I would therefore appeal to Nana Addo's supporters to stop the insults, and debate the issues, for nobody is a repository of insults. If there should be any insults at all, then they must be directed to all those who unpatriotically shout; "No Nana, No Vote". They are the very people destroying the NPP.
God bless Ghana! God bless the NPP!! God bless Kufuor!!!
Katakyie Kwame Opoku Agyemang, Asante Bekwai-Asakyiri
(Free SHS Ambassador)
Official blog: [email protected]
0202471070 : 0264931361
"Vision, coupled with persistency, results in true success"