The Independent newspaper of Monday, November 16, 2009, carried on its front page: STOP FLEECHING NPP…Party foot soldier laments, and adds “Akufo-Addo is surrounded by hypocrites and parasites.” The newspaper tells us that the story is based on an interview it had with a faceless entity who the paper claims he claims to be an activist of the NPP. In that story, the so-called NPP activist made unfounded allegations against Nana Akufo-Addo and his campaign. A paper built by one of the brave soldiers of freedom of speech in this country, Ambassador Kabral Blay-Amihere, should not have allowed itself and its readers to be abused in this manner.
The ‘NPP activist’ mentions that Nana Akufo-Addo is “hoarding” the rest of his campaign funds for the running of his personal office and t makes me wonder from where my friend acquired his party membership card. Similar accusations from the usual corners were made shortly after the 2008 elections that Nana Akufo-Addo and his family used campaign funds to acquire mansions abroad. Nana Akufo-Addo shortly after last year’s general elections had a series of meetings with the leadership of the NPP to reconcile the campaign funds and to deal with all outstanding issues pertaining to his campaign. I will advise my ‘activist’ friend to be a little more active and stay informed about the issues that go on in our party before re-activating discredited stories and churning them onto ever-ready conveyor belt media houses to convey his works of defamation.
The New Patriotic Party’s 2008 presidential campaign, like the others before it, ended up with some debts still to be paid. It is therefore not true for anybody to say that there are still cash leftovers from 2008, which are being used to fund some individuals’ campaign. The ‘NPP activist’ could better expend his concerns by sourcing funds to support party activities, such as the running of these historically large elections rather than maligning some of the very people who are struggling to support the party to make these important elections a success. Before any such unfounded allegations are made and publicised, we should do well to at least interrogate the history of the characters we seek to malign. Nana Akufo-Addo was among those who began funding the New Patriotic Party even before the party was founded in 1992 and has continued to do so, through his own resources and through the resources of those who share his convictions and believe in his leadership.
The NPP is currently holding competitive elections at various levels in the party and elections. Historically, it has been the mark of party elections, for members of political parties, including Members of Parliament, to endorse one candidate or the other. These series of party elections have not changed that culture. The challenge, as we so painfully saw in 2008, is for all, winners and losers alike, leading members and the rank and file, whether your preferred candidate won or not, to rally behind newly elected executives, in the true spirit of our party’s tradition. One can understand how uncomfortable it might be for some supporters of Nana Akufo Addo’s potential competitors to hear both party bigwigs and foot-soldiers endorsing Nana. Perhaps, they should spend some more time, also, to probing why there is such a groundswell of support to re-elect Nana as Presidential Candidate, rather than castigating those trumpeting the ‘no change’ rhythm. Again, the ‘NPP activist’ states in his story that “problems at the constituency and regional levels are being dealt with by Dr. Amoako Tuffuor at Nana’s office” and I believe this just re-enforces my observation that the man is definitely not a member of our party and knows nothing about anything that goes on in the NPP. The NPP may be holding party elections, currently, yet, the organisational structures have not been suspended for the electoral exercise. It is, however, not wrong for leading members of the party to take a positive, amicably active role in supporting the party. The NPP has a party headquarters, regional and constituency offices and formidable team of executives who run the party on a day to day basis. Nana Akufo-Addo’s capacity over the years to listen to and act upon the concerns and ideas of party activists may be blamed for the fact that people continue to travel to see him from every corner of the country on a daily basis to confer with him. Ordinarily, that will be seen as a mark of a true party leader, loyalist and friend.
The ‘NPP activist’ used the media opportunity to insult Dr Amoako Tuffuor and alleged that Nana Akufo-Addo’s actions were dividing the party. Ironically, Dr. Amoako Tuffuor, notably, was a leading member of Vice President Aliu Mahama’s presidential campaign in 2007. For him to hold an important role in Nana Akufo-Addo’s office today should tell every NPP activist that Nana Akufo-Addo is indeed a unifier – a leader who understands the short lifespan of intra-party competition and does not hold those who support others against them during and after the competition. If the NPP would be truthful to itself, Nana Akufo-Addo could even be faulted, arguably, for prioritising the need to unite the party after 17 people contested for the flagbearership in 2007. So much so that he sought to accommodate in his campaign all those who contested with him. Again, he was very instrumental in getting Alan Kyerematen to return to the New Patriotic Party, after Mr Kyerematen decided to resign in the early parts of 2008. Divisions and quarrels from the constituency level upwards in 2008 caused the NPP dearly in 2008. Let us learn from our recent mistakes, even if some of us were too young or not to appreciate the cost of division in 1979.
*…....SIGNED…….*
*HERBERT KRAPA*
*OFFICE OF NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO*