Alanphobia Grips The Nation

An unholy cloud of fear and apprehension hangs over the necks of District Chief Executives (DCEs) and Ministers of State as the clock slowly ticks inexorably towards December 22, when the New Patriotic Party (NPP) goes to its Extraordinary Congress to elect its flagbearer. The fear factor heightened last week when the chilling effect of the threat, first made by Mr. Paul Afoko, a member of the Finance Committee of the New Patriotic Party and member of the consortium that has won the bid for the construction of a refinery in Sekondi-Takoradi, materialized when President Kufuor announced the dismissal of some DCEs a fortnight ago.

This followed the alleged threat of Afoko to dismiss unfriendly DCEs and the subsequent execution of the threat by the Presidency in a cold-blooded manner. Last month The Castle struck - ruthlessly felling three DCEs without explanation. Down went Ms. Elizabeth Salamatu Forgor of Bole, the parliamentary candidate of the NPP who had been widely tipped to win Hon John Mahama’s seat - with a grudging concession by the venerable legislator that she is good material.

Now, the NDC campaign would be that she must have done something terrible, which is why she has been sacked. Next was Ms. Elizabeth Pijit Poyare of Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo. She had been tagged as a 31st December activist by her political opponents already, but the gutsy lady endured the pain of her removal and put away any allegation of presidential involvement. But at the time of her termination, she was in critical condition on admission at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.

The worst was Yakubu Awudu of Zabzugu/Tatale, for working underground against Alan. His wife, who was one of those who cooks for the President when he is in the area, was in the mortuary. No mercy for the cripple. Still Yakubu was fired and the resentment cut deep into the heart of NPP supporters here and spread throughout the region and beyond. No ‘mercy was shown for the cripple’. 48 more are in line for removal and panic has spread across the nation, because job insecurity is one of the most effective weapons deployed in the zeal to install Alan as the next President. Almost all the Presidential aspirants are afraid of this fact and are being bussed to sing, “we will back any aspirant who emerges as winner,” when they know the decks are loaded in favour of Alan.

Now almost all the DCEs in the Northern Region and across the nation have turned to worshiping the President’s ‘Golden Boy’, Alan John Kyerematen and his campaign team. The Chronicle can confirm without any reservation, that the DCEs apart from defeating the guiding principles of the NPP’s tradition are also using state resources to go round the region together with Mr. Paul Afoko to vigorously and openly campaign for Alan.

This paper has decided to withhold the names and descriptions of those DCEs, where they usually meet, lodge and their car registration numbers, until otherwise required. They have succeeded in holding secret meetings and talks with Paul Afoko and other leading campaign mates of Alan to demonstrate their commitment to the President’s favourite presidential aspirant. The President in last month’s interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) admitted he had a favourite candidate, but failed to name him.

Some of the DCEs are reportedly hosting, feeding and fueling the campaign team of Mr. Alan when they keep visit the constituencies. An investigation by The Chronicle however indicate that the DCEs now enjoy moving within and outside their districts to campaign for Alan rather than stay in their offices. Meanwhile, some leading members of the ruling NPP, within the Tamale Metropolis who spoke to this paper expressed grave displeasure at the way and manner the DCEs were worshipping Alan Kyerematen and openly campaigning for his team in the Northern Region.

CARRY POSTERS AND PROMISES OF CONTRACT Some carry posters and paraphernalia of Alan Kyerematen for distribution in their districts. They have also succeeded in antagonizing any party executive in their districts who tries to go against Alan. A leading NPP member hinted The Chronicle that most Constituency Executives, apart from a few uncompromising ones, have been awarded huge contracts by the DCEs awaiting final approval based on the outcome of the December 22 Congress. Others have also been promised loans under the Macro-finance Loan Scheme (MASLOC) if they help Alan to succeed. Alhaji Kaleem of the Vice President’s camp and A.A. Razak, Campaign Coordinator of Addo Kufuor have all kicked against the behaviour of the DCEs. The Northern Regional Secretary of the NPP, Clifford Braimah in an interview with The Chronicle also expressed disappointment about the conduct of the DCEs, which he said was clearly against the NPPs code of ethics. According to him, it was now clear that the DCEs and their cohorts were not bothered about what would happen to the NPP during and after the December Congress. Mr. Clifford therefore threw the challenge to the National Executive Committee to take action before the matter gets out of hand.

RESISTANCE The first sign of resistance emerged from the town of ‘beautiful nonsense’, Cape Coast, when women put up a fight of resistance against the constituency executives led by Mr. Frank Hutchful and Godwin Buckman, who openly declared their support for Mr. Alan Kyerematen. They routed the pair of regional executives, who had been dispatched by the regional chairman to supervise the election and ended the meeting to elect delegates to the Congress.

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