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Opinions of Tuesday, 3 August 2010

Columnist: Nyarko, Kingsley

Arrest Nana Akuffo Addo for Causing Fear, Alarm, and Panic

in the NDC. Anytime Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo’s name is mentioned, the leadership and rank and file of the National Democratic Congress become nervy and panicky. To them, any of the other presidential hopefuls should win the forthcoming August 7 elections of the New Patriotic Party, but not Nana Akuffo Addo. Their hatred (apprehension) of Akuffo Addo and love for the other four aspirants is primed on their erroneous belief or perception that any of the other four aspirants would be a cake walk for them during the 2012 elections. The fear of Nana Addo has in a way contributed to the abysmal performance of the government since he declared his intention to contest the NPP’s presidential slot.

Since the race for the NPP presidential slot teed off, the NDC has never attacked or criticized any of the other contestants, but even a sneeze by Nana Addo gives them an opportunity to berate and abuse him. What is worrying, though, is that in one stretch they claim that Nana is a liability to the NPP, and in another development, the leadership of the NPP is giving Nana Addo an undue advantage over the other aspirants. This is strange; isn’t it?

Is this stance not contradictory? Who in their right senses would not prefer to contest an opponent considered a liability or white elephant? Honestly, the NDC is being frightened by the second coming of Nana Akuffo Addo, and would be scared to death should Nana Addo be elected by the electorates come August 7. This contradictory stance of the NDC, particularly among the leadership, though expected, appears to have fired up the electorates to vote massively for Akuffo Addo. The NDC has through their actions been implicitly campaigning for Nana Akuffo Addo.

Sadly, the NDC has only succeeded in making the work of the other four aspirants, especially Alan Kyeremateng an arduous one; a steep slope, which only a miracle can surmount. Their negative portrayal of Akuffo Addo in both the print and electronic mediums has made most of the electorates, who hitherto had preferred Alan Kyeremateng or Professor Frimpong Boateng or Isaac Osei or Lawyer Kodua to change their mind in favor of Nana Akuffo Addo.

That is why I suggest that the police/government “arrest” Nana Addo for causing fear, alarm, and panic within the NDC. The earlier they “arrested” him, the better it would be for the country since it will enable the government to channel her energy in pursuing the better Ghana agenda which appears to be an illusion instead of brooding over the threat posed by him. In fact, this posture of the NDC is a testament to the government ceding power to the NPP in January 7, 2012. God bless Ghana!!
Source: Kingsley Nyarko, PhD, Educational Psychologist, Accra (kingpong73@yahoo.com)