Apologize For Keeping The NPP In Opposition

One thing I have learnt from people who have respect for others is to render an apology for their offenses. Rendering an apology or taking responsibility for one's mistakes is not uncommon. It relieves emotional pains from the victims and builds a stronger relationship thereafter. However, it becomes more annoying when the offender keeps to his guns even when there is enough evidence to suggest that, an offense has been committed.

As members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are aware, then Candidate J.A. Kufuor with virtually no economic record to boast of because of the NPP's position as an opposition party, managed to beat a sitting Vice President, who enjoyed incumbency advantage. Kufuor in 2000 campaigned on his positive attributes - humility, calmness, gentility, posture, etc.

His campaign message was simple: Examine your living condition, and vote accordingly. He won six (6) regions - Brong-Ahafo, Eastern, Western, Central, Ashanti, and Greater Accra for the NPP. In percentage wise, Kufuor won 52.45% of the total valid votes cast. He had over 200,000 votes more than the votes from all the NPP Parliamentary Candidates. The legacy he left behind with his 8-year rule as president is unprecedented.

Akufo-Addo denied the late Aliu Mahama, one of the finest Northerners, the opportunity to lead the NPP in 2008. If experience was a yardstick for electing a flag-bearer, Alhaji Aliu Mahama had no co-equal by virtue of him being a Vice President for 8 solid years. Using the mantra; "It's Nana's turn"; "Y3nim wo firi tete" etc, the best that such am astute politician could do for the NPP was to take the ruling party into opposition.

What a record! The six regions dropped to three in the 2008 first round. In the 2008 run-off, the regions further dropped to a struggling two regions. The 2012 results were terrible. Akufo-Addo managed to decrease the Ashanti votes from 80.5% to 70%, and Eastern votes from 60% to 56%. In percentage wise, the party dropped from 52.45% in 2004 to 49.13% in 2008, and 47.74% in 2012 under Akufo-Addo.

As a custom, when family members entrust the property of the family under the Abusuapanin's care, his first responsibility is to protect the property, and if possible, add more to it thereafter. You don't allow intruders to take away part or all the property and later complain about robbery. It makes you an irresponsible leader. If you don't have the capacity to stop those "robbers", then you give way to others for them to do it. You don't behave like the proverbial "Konongo Kaya", who will not carry the load, but would not allow others to carry it.

What is mind-boggling is that, Nana Addo has not even had the courtesy to render an unqualified apology to the NPP fraternity. He has blamed almost everybody barring himself. His supporters have rained insults on Otumfuo, Kufuor, Alan, Afari Gyan, Mahama, Atuguba, and NPP Polling Agents without any justification. They have been brainwashed to engage in that uncouth action just because Akufo-Addo's childish dream of becoming the president of Ghana has not materialized.

Fellow Kukrudites, let's think about the future of the party. The NPP was not founded by Akufo-Addo. Even J.J. Rawlings who founded the NDC has been 'caged' like a 'barking dog', thanks to their General Secretary, Asiedu Nketiah. The NDC today has a brighter future than the CPP, which idolized Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in the 1960's. Why should the NPP continue to rely on a Candidate who has failed in his three attempts to win political for us? Kufuor turned the NPP from Opposition Party to a Ruling Party for 8 years, but Akufo-Addo has done exactly the opposite. Why should he enjoy such support?

Ever since he lost the 2012 elections, he has done nothing to suggest that 2016 will go for the NPP. All that we hear from Akufo-Addo is about defending his old age. If age is just a number as he believes, the floating voters have said on several occasions that age is a factor in Ghana's elections. The oldest president in Ghana was Prof. Mills. He was 64 years when elected, but Mills was the only president who could not complete his 4 year term.

The emotional pain and cost to Ghanaians can never be eroded from our hearts. Why would these same voters gamble with their votes on a 73 year old candidate? Once bitten, twice shy, so goes the adage. For me, it is a complete joke for any NPP supporter to think for a minute that Akufo-Addo could beat Mahama in 2016 just because president Mahama has performed badly. That is a wishful thinking.

From the Polling Stations, to the Constituencies, through to the Regional and National levels, the delegates have made genuine and necessary changes. It's now left with the flag-bearership, which acts as the engine of a vehicle. Regardless of the body works on the vehicle, the faulty engine cannot make the vehicle move unless it is replaced with a new engine. The NPP cannot win the 2016 elections with the same crowd, same message, same running-mate, and same Candidate. Join the crusade to change Akufo-Addo now, but until then, he must apologize to us for his failure.

God bless Ghana! God bless the NPP!! God bless Kufuor!!!

Katakyie Kwame Opoku Agyemang, Asante Bekwai-Asakyiri. Email: [email protected]

Mobile: 0547851100 : 0264931361 : 0202471070
"Vision, coupled with persistency, results in true success"