The Elephant Must Learn To Appreciate Its Jewels!

The internal contest for constituency, regional and national executive positions in the Great Elephant fraternity has just begun and one should expect to see a very heated contest. One position that has attracted a lot of attention is the General Secretary (GS) post currently occupied by John Boadu, aka ‘Adwenkese’. My microscopic lenses are today focused on that contest.

Two names being trumpeted around as those willing and ready to battle it out with the incumbent are Hon. Iddrisu Musa Superior, a former Mayor of Tamale and Hon. Frederick Opare-Ansah, former Member of Parliament (MP) for Suhum Constituency. Their decision to contest the incumbent is heart-warming considering the fact that the Osono tradition has always used the mantra ‘we have the men’. Allowing Mr. Adwenkese to go unopposed would have raised questions about the touted mantra.

I’ve heard Musah Superior speak and also read from Hon. Opare-Ansah and I dare say neither inspires hope in the Elephant’s forward match towards breaking the 8-year cycle. I did not hear or read how they will rejuvenate the demotivated party youth who feel neglected by the party they love and fought for to assume power since January 7, 2016. The two, Musah Superior and Hon. Opare-Ansah, only highlighted the so-called incompetence of John Adwenkese, which took the party from 169 to 137 seats.

As I watched the tape of Musah Superior discussing with Paul Adom-Otchere, it became clear to me why some people refer to him as an arrogant person. He is very confident, refined, well-spoken and very passionate about the party. But one thing was clear to me: his self-confidence and refined nature will not help his cause in a contest that requires someone who is not only down-to-earth, but a person who looks like one.

If I were close to him, I would advise him not to waste his cowries on a venture that was bound to fail. But I know he will not listen because I’m only a small fish in the ocean. Indeed, who am I to dare advise a political guru like Musah Superior?

Abusuapanin, I read Hon. Opare-Ansah’s story on Ghanaweb and couldn’t help but smile. He literally attacked the whole National Executives for presiding over an election, which saw the party losing many seats. The argument is very rich coming from a man who had failed to win the Suhum Constituency primaries for the 2020 polls.

The former legislator appears to be oblivious of the functions of a General Secretary as he advertised his ignorance in that regard. Not a single policy on how to improve the odds of the party in 2024 was mentioned. How such a person can guide the Great Elephant into the crucial 2024 polls remains a mystery to me.

Mr. Adwenkese may have his flaws, but he is the party’s best bet for 2024. Yes, he takes ultimate responsibility for the party’s abysmal performance in the 2020 parliamentary polls, but any objective analyst knows other factors in the respective constituencies accounted for the party’s poor parliamentary performance.

Lest I forget, did Mr. Adwenkese and his group not deliver the presidency with the highest difference for a sitting President? Why are his detractors silent on that feat?

Looking keenly at the Elephant and Umbrella camps, I wonder why the former, which was the winner, is rather in a hurry to do away with its executives. Did General Mosquito not lose two consecutive elections as GS, but still revered by his party folks? Why can’t the Elephant do same by respecting it jewels?

I do agree with Hon. Afenyo-Markin that it is irritatingly too early and perilous to see party folks aggressively undermining one another. ‘Breaking the eight’ will be a mirage if folks riding the Elephant continue the treachery, backbiting and public washing of the party’s linen, I dare say.

See you next week for another interesting konkonsa, Deo volente!