‘We Don’t Need Obasanjo’s Money'

Last Friday the vociferous NDC MP for Sene, Hon. Felix Twumasi Appiah openly declared that the NDC does not need the President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo for anything. He also said the NDC does not need Obasanjo's money to make its dream of recapturing political power in 2008 come true.

The position sharply contrasts with that of the majority members of the NDC who believe that there should be regional and sub-regional integration, which reason led the government of the National Democratic Congress under former President Jerry Rawlings to establish the Ministry for Regional Integration.

As one of the panelists on a discussion programme on PeaceFM, Mr. Felix Twumasi Appiah said this in reaction to a statement by another panelist, Mr. Alfred Ogbamey, managing editor of the Gye Nyame Concord newspaper to the effect that it was unfortunate for former President Rawlings to have referred to President Obasanjo as "that Obasanjo who calls himself AU leader but the whole continent is plagued with hunger and poverty."

Mr. Ogbamey contended that that statement by the former President was derogatory of President Obasanjo, which he said could cost the NDC in a way should President Obasanjo hear of that statement, which came from no less a person than the founder of the National Democratic Congress.

The Gye Nyame Concord managing editor also said that statement could lead to the denial of NDC cash for the 2008 elections should they approach President Obasanjo. Mr. Twumasi Appiah quickly retorted that "the NDC does not need Obasanjo in anything and for any reason." The Sene MP also asked why Obasanjo should be adored and wondered what he has done for Ghana, saying, even the oil that Ghana gets from Nigeria is not a dash, Ghana pays for that. He maintained that Obasanjo does not do anything free for Ghana so he does not see why the NDC should consult him in what it does.

According to Twumasi Appiah, the NDC would not entertain Obasanjo in its affairs and stated that the issue of having to raise money from him is neither here nor there, because Ghana's electoral laws forbid raising monies for election purposes from international sources. The NDC he said would deal with Obasanjo as the President of Nigeria and head of the AU if the need arises but not as a big brother of Africa as many would want to label him. The NDC, the Sene MP said, would not need Obasanjo before it could win the 2008 elections. "We will not entertain him," he said and added, "we will only respect him as the chairman of the African Unity and deal with him as such.