NPP Would be in Opposition, if Nana Addo Leads the Party Again
I am by these hard facts, challenging Nana Addo and all those who are rooting for him to tell me how he could beat John Mahama in Election 2016, should he lead the NPP again.
1. Unlike Kufuor, the NPP's Presidential Candidate had an impressive economic and social record as a campaign tool - free maternal care, NHIS, free basic education, NYEP etc.
2. He embarked on Listening, Restoration of Hope, and Thank You tours all over the country.
3. He restructured and re-branded the NPP with new Electoral College and elected national officers to reflect regional, tribal, and gender balance.
4. He changed his Campaign Manager twice - Arthur Kennedy & Boakye Agyarko in 2008 and 2012 respectively.
5. He selected his own Communications Director and Deputies across the country.
6. There was unity of purpose within the NPP as no new political party emerged.
7. Ex-president Kufuor, although not fit, campaigned with him in many sensitive areas.
8. He changed the picture on his electoral poster from a seeming 'frowning face' in suit to a smiling face in African wear.
8. Professor Atta Mills ( then a sitting president) died just six (6) months to the presidential election.
9. His main opponent, John Mahama used only three (3) months to campaign as the NDC's presidential candidate.
10. He was marketed from 2007 till the day of the general elections, hence the accolade; "Y3nim wo firi tete" to wit; we have known him for long.
11. He had one of the best, if not the best Campaign Message - Free SHS now, in both Election 2008 and 2012.
12. He chose one of the best running-mates ever - a finest economist, and northerner, Dr. Bawumia on two occasions.
13. The NDC, our political opponent, was divided into factions - Obed's DFP, and Nana Konadu's NDP.
14. Former president J.J. Rawlings did not campaign for his main opponent, John Mahama.
16. Former president Rawlings and his wife, Nana Konadu became his friends and Konadu even became his defender along the line.
17. Dr. Sekou Nkrumah, Maame Dokono, Nana Ampadu, Owuraku Amofa, Frances Essiam - all former NDC Stalwarts became his friends and joined the campaign train.
20. Daddy Lumba, Pastor Ampong, Philapa Baafi, Christiana Love etc composed emotional songs for him - Nana is the winner, We are moving forward etc.
21. He began to sit in public transport (trotro) to look ordinary.
22. He drank pure water in public, Kenkey & Ampese in public, and visited people in their kitchens.
23. He got his running-mate, Dr. Bawumia to pound fufu in public whilst his wife swept the Nima market.
24. He did quite well in all the IEA presidential debates.
25. He declared "All-die-be-die" in Ghana to energize party faithfuls and protect the ballots.
26. Prayers upon prayers, fasting upon fasting were all done by Christians, Muslims etc to give the battle to The Lord and indeed, the battle was given to The Lord.
29. Two million dollars ($2m) worth of mobile phones were given to all NPP Polling Agents to text electoral results to the party headquarters.
30. Over 11,000 pink sheets were sent to the Supreme Court as evidence of electoral fraud, but none of them showed that some of his votes were taken and added unto his opponent's as we were initially made to believe.
31. He ate 'kpekple' in Accra and was cleansed by Nungua Wolomi for spiritual strength.
32. A gargantuan Judgement Debt song - Woyome, Woyome was composed by NPP members.
33. The media, led by Ash FM and Oman FM's Owusu Bempah, aka Aboa Papu explained issues, defended against rumours, and launched verbal attacks on the NDC.
34. After the 2007 NPP Presidential Primaries, this was a statement from him; "Alan, take your time; you would be president after me". His term ends in 2016.
35. He went to Israel to offer prayers, and touched the 'Wailing Wall', but in spite of the above, his votes kept depreciating.
36. He distributed t-shirts, mounted big billboards, and organised beach rallies.
38. NPP members treated him like a president anytime he returned from abroad.
39. Apart from the free SHS policy, he made special promises such as accommodation for the 'Kayaye' - head potters, expansion and transformation of the economy, and improving the standard of living of Ghanaians.
40. The last, but not least, he needed only 23,000 popular votes to win Election 2008, but it turned round to be a deficit of 40,000 votes and now 370,000 votes with a struggling two (2) regions. How could he overturn this 370,000 votes now that Mahama would be spending four (4) years as an incumbent president?
Fellow patriots and delegates, the above are the hard facts, which I know many of you would be offended. As it is often said; "Akwadaa ob3wu no, wode no hy3 Roman sofo botom koraa a, ob3wu" to wit, it useless to put a dying baby in the pocket of a Roman Father, for it will still die. What is impossible is impossible. Goods that cannot sell would not sell even when carried around town with the best sound systems. The people will just dance to the music and ignore the goods, and this is what has happened to the NPP's political commodity.
What then do we need to do as delegates? The only sensible thing to do at this crucial time is to reflect over the above, and replace the commodity that meets the people's taste and preferences, if indeed, we have the NPP and Ghana at heart. It is evident that Rawlings, Kufuor, Mills, and Mahama look naturally appealing and humble to the Ghanaian voter. Thus, any act they engage with the public is seen as natural part of their lives.
For those of us in Get Alan Kyerematen Elected (GAKE), we believe that Hon. John Alan Kyerematen ((JAK the second) has all the attributes that can match the NDC's candidate, John Mahama, and also meet the demands of the Ghanaian voter. Alan, who is cast in the mould of former president Kufuor, is a symbol of vision, charisma, competence, humility, wisdom, and peace. He is tall, gentle, giant, handsome, energetic, and approachable. Coincidentally, he is called John, a name which is synonymous in Ghana'a presidency since the inception of the 4th Republic. Prez John Rawlings, Prez John Kufuor, Prez John Mills, Prez John Mahama, and the last John, "Prez John Kyerematen", the Saviour!
As delegates, we are the "kingmakers"'in the NPP. Even Prof. Adu Boahen, who broke the 'culture of silence' had only one chance; we gave Kufuor only two chances and he maximised the opportunity straight away; we have equally given Nana Akufo-Addo two chances, but where are we now as a party - in opposition? Instead of reflecting deeply on this, they don't even admit that the party lost the elections. They rather come out to say the elections were rigged by the NDC; at times they say it was rigged by the Afari Gyan and his Electoral Commission; they blame Kufuor for not helping; they at times blame Alan Kyerematen for their woes; sometimes the blame goes to Otumfuo, Atuguba and his Supreme Court, and in recent time, the party's Polling Agents.
Why can't we also level blame on our presidential candidate who is the face of the party? What promise did he make to us before he was given the mandate as our flagbearer? Did he promise to send the NPP into opposition or the party to the Flagstaff House? So, who takes the blame? Looking at the high level of corruption and mismanagement of Ghana's economy, do we have to blame Nana Akufo-Addo of NPP or John Mahama of NDC? Fellow Kukrudites, let's think about the future of our beloved party. Nobody is a repository of knowledge. The old should therefore give way to the new. Ghanaian election has never been based on popularity, else the NPP delegates will elect Kwadwo Nkansah Lil Wayne as the party's flag-bearer. The two strikers - Nana- Bawumia has failed to score the needed political goals for us in our two previous 'World Cups'. As coaches, let's substitute our flopped top striker with Alan, and GAKE members have the strongest conviction that, Alan-Bawumia partnership will definitely give us the winning goal in Election 2016. The first change has occurred in the NPP's National Executive elections, and Paul Afoko, who was nearly killed at Legon for supporting Alan Cash is the leader of the NPP now. We need one more change for power!
GAKE, One more change for power! Join us by calling 0547851100; 0264931361; 0202471070 or [email protected]
Think Alan! Think Victory!!
Katakyie Kwame Opoku Agyemang, Asante Bekwai-Asakyiri
(Free SHS Ambassador)
Official blog: [email protected]
0202471070 : 0264931361
"Vision, coupled with persistency, results in true success"
On 12 May 2014, at 10:35, Katakyie
GAKE Condemns Mahama's Tribal Statement
The new pressure group within the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Get Alan Kyerematen Elected (GAKE) condemns on no uncertain terms the statement made by His Excellency, John Mahama during his 3-day working visit in the Ashanti Region last week.
Having garnered over 600,000 popular votes and four (4) parliamentary seats in the region during the 2012 general elections, one would have expected President Mahama to be circumspect with his statement, especially with his background as Communications expect. What is worrying to GAKE is president Mahama's refusal to render an apology to the Occupant of the Golden Stool and the people of Asanteman.
GAKE therefore believes that John Mahama and his NDC have taken the people of Ashanti Region for granted for far too long when it comes to playing the tribal card and sharing the national cake. For instance, apart from stalling many development projects started by the NPP government such as the Sofoline Interchange, and Boankra Inland Port, the pronouncements, and actions of most key members of his government have indicted the credibility and sensibilities of Asantes in particular. In not too distant past, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu sought to find out the measures Mr. Samuel Sarpong would put in place to protect Voltarians and Northerners in Ashanti Region. This occurred in a ministerial vetting in March, 2013, and one wonders if the lives of Voltarians and Northerners were more important than Asantes and other tribes.
Thus, for Prez Mahama to have stated that the people in the Ashanti Region wouldn't appreciate his efforts, if even all roads in the regions were tired with gold is unfortunate, to say the least. Such statements are not only unpresidential, but also ethnocentric that have the tendency to divide our front as one people with a common destiny.
GAKE also recalls similar unhealthy pronouncements made by Mr. Mahama during his reign as caretaker president. President Mahama is on record to have used the word 'baloney' against NPP parliamentarians and other prominent Ghanaians who opposed the use of our precious oil find as collateral for the acquisition of Chinese loan, which is yet to materialise.
Again, in the heat of the 2012 electioneering campaigns, president Mahama assured all Voltarians that, their safety lied in the hands of NDC government so they should rally behind the party to retain power at all times. Also, president Mahama belittled the good counsel given by His Excellency, J.A. Kufuor in the heat of Hon. Ken Agyepong’s outbursts and his subsequent arrest by the police by his infamous; "If it becomes necessary to use bulldozers to kill any fly that disturbs the peace of this nation, we shall use them".
It on this note that GAKE advises president Mahama to be submissive in his endeavours, be circumspect in his pronouncements, and be more matured in his dealings with the general public, especially the people of Ashanti Region since not only Asantes live in the region. Accordingly, GAKE members urge president Mahama to render an unqualified apology to Otumfuo and the people of Asanteman in order to redeem his dented image. The role of a president is non-partisan as the president acts as the father of the nation. "Mpanin se, s3 woannya biribi amma w'ase a, y3nyae mmo no krono", to wit; If president Mahama cannot show any appreciation to the people of Ashanti Region for giving him 612,000 (28%) of the valid votes cast in the last elections, it is unethical for him to verbally abuse them.
GAKE therefore urges president Mahama to focus on fulfilling his promises of building 200,000 houses within the next 5 years through the failed STX Korea deal; providing 10% of the oil revenue to the people of Western Region; making Ghana a car assembly point through his Brazilian investors; pumping GHC600million into the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) projects annually; providing meaningful jobs to all the “Kayayo” (head potters); building 200 new senior high schools across the country; and introducing his so-called progressive free senior high school policy. This, GAKE believes, would win him more votes in Ashanti Region than the 'empty' talks.
GAKE; One more change for power!
Signed...
Katakyie Kwame Opoku Agyemang (National Coordinator) 0202471070
Michael Yaw Asante - Member
Gabriel Osei Kuffuor - Member
Katakyie Kwame Opoku Agyemang, Asante Bekwai-Asakyiri. Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 0547851100 : 0264931361 : 0202471070