Peace á la asomdweehene Atta Mills and his ilk

It appears as if John Atta Mills, NDC's flag bearer has changed. He has become more radical and activist since his return from South Africa. He did not waste any time in joining his self-classd revolutionaries and pseudo radicals to threaten mayhem if the NPP rigs the elections. What they have been saying all along, however, is that it is now their turn and that the NPP cannot win any elections unless they rig. How they came to this conclusion beats any logic. The Kenyan debacle gave them even more ammunition to threaten Ghanaians of something similar happening in Ghana if the NPP wins/rigs the elections.

It is unfortunate that Ghana's main opposition party has always been on a war path since it was voted out of office. Their pronouncements against the ruling NPP have always been condemnation laced with personal insults, lies and falsehoods. They threatened mayhem over the Representation of the People's Law (ROPAL) among several other things. And their founder, Jerry Rawlings has never ceased using forums overseas to make his so-called boom speeches accusing the NPP of thievery, corruption and insulting the president.

The Akans have a saying that he who decapitates others fears sleeping face up – atwa mene biara suro ayeya da. The PNDC stayed in power for twenty years by foul means. The 1993 elections were rigged. The 1998 elections were also rigged. In all two cases, people voted with their feet and the voters' register was bloated with names of the dead, children and those then unborn. It is on record that ballot boxes were filled before they were sent to the stations. Is it then strange that they are suspicious of others?

It is unfortunate that for someone who claims to appeal to a peaceful co-existence with his political enemies and has therefore adopted the nickname of Asomdwee hene, Atta Mills in his desperation is appealing to violence to achieve his avowed objective of becoming a president of Ghana. Not only that, Paul Victor Obeng a former top operative of the PNDC has also warned that Ghanaians should not delude themselves with being a peace loving nation because of the existence of the elements of civil strife. Among them Obeng is reported to have cited election malpractices and the chieftaincy disputes in Northern Ghana among other places.

While some of these remarks may be true, it is also true that the opposition, particularly the NDC, in their desperation, are fueling not only discontent, but also sowing seeds of ethnic hatred among the people of Ghana and would not hesitate to use the elections as an excuse to execute their criminal intent. And the Asomdwee hene having been briefed on all of the plans of his party is very much aware. Ghanaians dare him to deny.

A recent report by an operative of the former associate professor of law claimed that President Kufuor had refurbished his house with several millions of the tax payers' money. A visit to the house was arranged and journalists were allowed to see for themselves the so-called furnishings. Pictures were taken and the people saw for themselves where and how their president lives. Some of us are wondering if Jerry Rawlings would be ready to bare his current state-funded homes and his own homes built elsewhere in the country to the general public. We all saw the opulence of his homes in Accra and London in the Observer Magazine. What are Ghanaians saying about how he acquired those millions for those properties and their furnishings for someone who used to subsist only on yoo ke gari? Have Ghanaians enquired why Rawlings should use state funds to train his daughter to fly state aircraft? And are Ghanaians so effeminate as to question the improprieties of Rawlings and his party?

While the opposition claims to be suffering under the current administration, do they realize Ghanaians have not forgotten how they arrogantly preached virtue but practiced vice? State officials found culpable of embezzlement and misappropriation were set free by government white paper for a government that had had to kill others for lesser offenses.

Atta Mills and his people are broke and do not believe that toe-to-toe they can handle the humiliation of a sound and fair defeat by the NPP. In the process, what they think they cannot achieve with money, they could use threats of mayhem. And in their simple, devious minds and over-bloated egos they feel they could use sheer hubris which is all they can afford now.

Atta Mills is like a chameleon. He easily changes hue. Unlike the chameleon, however, his color management is done by his masters in the NDC. He would not attend the state banquet for President Bush until Jerry Rawlings decided to go. He had to apologize to his boss for a photo op with President Kufuor and Kofi Annan when the former UN chief came home on retirement.

What he is doing now is an exercise in ventriloquism. It is the only way he can make his voice heard. And when he talks tough, he echoes others.

So much for Asomdwee hene.

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