*NPP CHIDES CRITICS OVER NANA ADDO’S “BOTTOM” TRIBUTE TO THE LATE THERESA AMERLEY TAGOE*

The Opposition New Patriotic Party says it care less about how its opponent would want to interpret the Flagbearer’s tribute to the late Theresa Amerley Tagoe.

In the said tribute to the late Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South Constituency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo referred to Volta Hall, the all-female hall at the University of Ghana as “the cynosure of all healthy young males at Legon”.

Akuf- Addo continued in his tribute that “it was during our time at Legon that for the rest of her life, I came to call her ‘Bottoms’ as against the more familiar ‘TT’. The origin of the nickname will continue to remain confidential between us”.

The mere mention of the nick name and the confidentiality behind it seems to have stirred controversy, and interest into what exactly is the story line behind the name, ‘Bottoms’.

Many, especially opponents of the NPP are finding it hard to comprehend the thought of these references, especially in a tribute where one is expected to honour the memory of the departed.

In an interview with the party’s Deputy Communication Director, Perry Okudzeto, he says Nana Addo’s tribute had no secret meanings and intentions and would not want to be dragged into offering explanations.

“Nana Addo has paid a tribute to Theresa Tagoe; it is up to Theresa Tagoe for her soul to rest in peace. It is not for us to determine whether what he said was good in the eyes of the political opponent or not”, Perry Okudzeto was speaking in an interview with Emefa Apawu, host of the Big Bite on Xfm 95.1, a privately owned commercial radio station in Accra.

He says, “Nana Addo has said what he had to say. We have buried a friend, a mother and someone who has contributed immensely to the building of our party, especially, to the building of the Women’s wing of our party. We cherish her; all we did was to remember the fond memories of what we shared with her. As to whether people want to interpret it as whatever, it is their problem; we have buried our departed and we have said what we have to say in burying her”.

Mr Okudzeto also wondered the new twist to Ghana’s politics, remarking, “Ghanaian politics sometimes discern into a certain realm that worries some of us.”

“So if you are a political figure in Ghana, or you want to be a politician in Ghana, are we saying that you simply cannot crack jokes, you cannot be sincere, and you cannot create humour? Is that what we are saying in Ghana?”

“So a flagbearer of a political party writes a tribute to a friend… and people want to turn it into political football and play it all over”.

Theresa Tagoe was MP of the Ablekuma South Constituency in 1996 when she was elected as an MP for Ablekumka South and won two subsequent elections to retain the seat until her decision not to contest in 2008, which coincidentally led the NPP to concede that seat to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

*Story by Abena Asiedua Tenkorang/ Xfm 95.1/ Accra/ Ghana*