The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has been in the news of late for all the wrong reasons, including the mother of all crimes- murder- perpetuated by its militants against their very own regional chairman.
The current disturbances began at NPP Executive Council meeting at Alisa Hotel prior to the election of the party’s 2016 flagbearer. Nana Akufo-Addo and his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia arrived at Alisa Hotel with thugs that went into action right away, beating to pulp some supporters of Mr Alan Kyeremanten amidst threats of killing anybody who would dare stand in their ‘boss’ way of becoming flagbearer of the NPP and subsequently, president of Ghana. One KK, a member of NPP Brong-Ahafo regional communication team was mercilessly beaten. Even Mr Kwadwo Mpiani was damned lucky to be saved by a hairs’ breath.
This was closely to be followed by another violent attack on Messrs Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyapong, national chairman and general secretary respectively, were attacked at the party’s headquarters in Accra by thugs liked to Nana Akufo-Addo by Dr Arthur Kennedy. A press conference being addressed by the two top officials of the party was rudely interrupted and several people assaulted. So serious was that incident that Mr Kwabena Agyapong had to be smuggled out in the booth of his car.
The atmosphere in the opposition party was never going to be normal again as it became clear that he battles lines were finally drawn front that point on. This was precipitated by deepened fears of members of the Kufuor/Alan cabal who feel disliked and threatened by the militant posturing by the Akufo-dodo-led Akyem mafia.
It was no news therefore, in the actual sense, when the latest steering committee meeting of the party, presided over by the first national vice chairman, Mr Freddie Blay, was held under the auspices of none other than Nana Akufo-Addo himself, without the knowledge of the national chairman and the general secretary, who are the constitutionally mandated officers to call such a meeting.
This made the Bolgatanga episode that was to follow, a mere continuation of the new order where the militant faction of the NPP has held sway in every sense of the word. Messrs Afoko and Kwabena Agyapong are not to be allowed to function in their positions. But that is not all. Everything must be done to dent their credibility in preparing the grounds for their final removal from office and crashing their political careers. It is an agenda well-crafted and being rigorously pursued.
The duo were hotly chased from a meeting at the Upper East regional capital with all manner of weapons and but for their timely escape through the backdoor, they could have been the first casualty of the internal party war that has obviously taken a deadly dimension.
When news broke about the acid attack on the late Mr Adams Mahama, which turned out to be a journey of no return for the late no-nonsense regional chairman, it was only to confirm fears expressed by many a political watcher of a possible nasty consequence of the thriving violence in the NPP under Mr Akufo-Addo’s leadership.
He has woefully failed his party and Ghana’s democracy. Everything that is happening under his watch in that party is a setback to the country’s democratic process. Why he has totally failed to encourage dialogue, the most effective democratic tool, in resolving issues in his party can only attest to the vindication of the likes of Mr Kofi Koomson and Dr Arthur Kennedy who have severally expressed fears about the third-time NPP flagbearer’s inability to offer good leadership.
One thing is thus clear. Mr Akufo-Addo has demonstrated clearly how he would rule Ghana if given the chance to be president, as coming events cast their shadows. His handlings of NPP affairs has exposed him to be clueless, vindictive and vicious and one can only imaging such character traits being exhibited by a democratic leader of the Republic of Ghana.