....For Displaying A High Sense Of Statesmanship And A Unique Leadership Quality That Is Very Rare In Africa.

By: Otchere Darko

Re: “Kufuor’s decision is a wise one - Kpessah-Whyte”; [Ghanaweb General News of Thursday, 3 January 2013; Source: Joy Online

Even though I am not a member of either NDC or NPP and do criticise both parties a lot, I do not hesitate to give praise to some specific NDC or NPP members, when and where one is due them.

When I read that former President Kufuor has accepted the invitation to attend the inaugural ceremony of President-elect, HE John Mahama, I was very happy for him (former President Kufuor), in particular, and for Ghana, in general. Mr Kufuor has shown that he is truly a statesman and a political elder who deserves commendation. I am, therefore, using this write-up to support Dr Michael Kpessah-Whyte’s statement quoted above. *I could not agree with him more, for describing the decision of the former two-term President to attend the inaugural ceremony of President-elect as “wise”.

The NPP’s leadership and its rank and file should understand that what former President Kufuor has done deserves the entire support and appreciation of the party, because his failure to attend the ceremony would have cast doubt on his respect for the rule of law and damned him and possibly the future of the entire NPP. The pending court case is a separate matter; and until the Supreme Court declares the election of Mr Mahama as null and void, he (Mr Mahama) remains lawfully elected and, therefore, has to be inaugurated.

I can understand why the rest of the leadership of NPP and other members may refuse to attend the inauguration. They may feel awkward if they attended and applauded. Agreed. They (the rest of the NPP leadership and ordinary members) are in a different category from former President Kufuor, who is a statesman. *Well done, Mr Kufuor. You have set the political path for others, like former President Rawlings, to follow. I hope all other Ghanaians in similar special positions should in future do the same and let all Ghanaians know that statesmen must always rise above ‘street politics’, no matter they are members of their respective political parties and can campaign for them.

Source: Otchere Darko; (My Political Views {Domestic}).