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Opinions of Thursday, 18 May 2023

Columnist: Richard Nyamah

Doing your duty and being rewarded with veep is not a sacrifice - Alan camp replies Dr Ayew Afriye

The Alan camp has replied Dr Ayew Afriye The Alan camp has replied Dr Ayew Afriye

Hon Dr Ayew Afriye's desperate attempt on Wuntumi TV, to reduce the significance of "Aduru Alan So" by referring to the need for a "star" witness in the 2012 election petition, is a laughable insult to the traditions and intelligence of NPP delegates.

Significantly, the entire Party invested all its resources, material, physical, technical, human and financial, in then Candidate Nana Addo and his Veep Nominee, backed by the Party leadership, to win NPP power in 2012 and continue the good governance of Kufuor.

Unfortunately, we the NPP, lost the election (the second in a row with the same candidate). As leaders and losing Candidates, Nana Addo, Bawumia and then Party Chairman- the late Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey-rose to challenge the electoral verdict in the belief that the election was unfair.

In that circumstance, is it the position of Dr Afriyie that someone else should have led the court process? Any well thinking Ghanaian knows and accepts that it was the duty of the Petitioners to lead the process in court and that it fell to Dr. Bawumia to do so on behalf of the others.

The responsibility to lead and win always rests with the chosen candidate. That is why after sixteen years in charge-eight years in opposition and eight in power-the Party is looking for a new dynamic in leadership. A leadership to renew and reward the Party.

If going to court to justify an electoral loss is a supreme sacrifice deserving of reward, is Hon Ayew and H.E. the two term Vice President saying the Office of Vice President is not enough reward? How many veterans of the Party have been Vice Presidential Nominees and actual Vice President for a cumulative period of sixteen years? Longer at the helm of the Party than any other pair in the history of the NPP in the 4th Republic. Indeed, H.E Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has benefited more from the NPP than all the people he came to meet.

Aduru Wo So is about those who courageously showed up at the birth of the Party in a dangerous era, and sacrificed their financial, time, reputational and skill resources to nurture the Party. Alan sacrificed the opportunity to be Candidate twice, to Kufuor and Nana Addo, at a time Bawumia was no where near the risk of being NPP.

Brought in by Nana Addo in 2007 and offered the veep-ship on a silver platter, he now demands the "Abusuapanyin" as of right? On what basis? That he went to court? To lose a case after losing an election? That is the building block expected to overcome the foundation of "Aduru Alan So"?

NPP grassroots delegates will decide.

The writer is the Deputy Spokesperson & Coms for the Alan 4 President Campaign