Article by Kwaku Boateng, Accra

During the Christmas holidays, Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, the de-facto Spokesperson and one of the strategists of the Kyebi Mafia met some NPP boys in his newly developed East Legon house. The agenda for the meeting was to design a plan to mobilize people to meet Nana Addo on his arrival at the Kotoka International Airport. The plan was to create the perception that Nana Addo is hugely popular in Ghana especially among the NPP supporters in order to deter other NPP flagbearer prospective aspirants such as Dr. Konadu Apraku, Hon. Joe Ghartey (MP), Mr. Alan John Kyerematen, Prof. Frimpong Boateng, Hon. Isaac Osei (MP) among others from contesting. They agreed at the meeting to use the slogan ‘SHEY NANA 2016’ as the tagline for Nana Addo’s re-entry into the country to launch his third bid for the presidential primaries in New Patriotic Party which is likely to take place later in the year.

Party insiders believe that, one of the reasons for the postponement of Nana Addo’s coming was due to the refusal of some constituency Chairmen to mobilize supporters to meet him at the airport. Readers will recall that some Radio stations in Accra interviewed some constituency Chairmen from Greater Accra who confirmed that, a meeting involving Lord Commey and Frema Opare was held at Nana Addo’s campaign office where they were instructed to mobilize about 5,000 people from Accra to welcome Nana Addo at the Kotoka International Airport on the scheduled day. Unfortunately for the organizers of this meeting, Alan Kyerematen’s loyalists who are Chairmen in some of the constituencies in Greater Accra attended the meeting and were very peeved at the manipulation and use of the party’s structures in favour of Nana Addo. These Chairmen openly told Lord Commey and Frema Opare that they will not adhere to this instruction even after they have been promised Gh¢30.00 per supporter who attends the welcome ceremony. One constituency Chairman told a leading member of the party after the meeting that, they didn’t receive financial support from any person to finance the organization of their constituency primaries. Some of the aspirants had to pay extra money for the organization of their primaries and asked where will the money to mobilize supporters come from?

However, some political analysts suggest that, Nana Addo is politically paranoid as all his key supporters in the National Executives election scheduled for April 12th are set to lose to candidates who are more assertive and aligned to Alan Kyerematen. They suggest that, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie will lose to the more assertive and politically savvy Kwabena Agyei Agyepong when the Chairmanship race is now between Paul Afoko and Stephen Ntim, all Alan’s loyalists in the party. Indeed, Ken Ofori Atta, Gabby Otchere Darko and Nana Asante Bediatuo, all members of the Kyebi Mafia are now supporting Yaw Buaben Asamoah’s bid for General Secretary which has lost steam when Kwabena Agyepong entered the race.

Nana Addo’s paranoia is evident in the contradictions in Gabby Otchere Darko’s postings on Facebook. On 21st January 2014, he posted the message below: “I've heard a lot of moves to welcome Nana Addo's return on January 27th, two days after the regional elections of the NPP. Encouraging. But, really, considering he has been able to keep himself out of all the internal jostling for positions and the big one is due March 1, is there not a case for him to continue same way and stay put to return after March 1st? Fostering unity is key, let him maintain his distance to the end, if you ask me. An extra six weeks away may do more good and no harm”. This was used for news stories on Joyfmonline.com. However, on 22nd of the same month, he (Gabby) purportedly quoted Nana Addo on the former’s Facebook wall as follows "I am aware that many people are getting themselves ready to come and meet me on my arrival in Accra on Monday, January 27. Unfortunately, I still haven't finished my engagements in Europe, so, I will not be there on that day. I thank all of you for your continuous interest in my movements and I will let you know of the day when I will be back in Accra." It is becoming interesting as leading members of the NPP including the likes of Hon. Hackman Owusu Agyemang, Prof. Mike Ocquaye and Hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo are being manipulated by these Kyebi Mafia whose membership is restricted to the family of Nana Addo. Another twist to these machinations within the centre-right party is the launching of project ‘NO NANA NO VOTE’ which is being led by Dr. Kwame Amoako Tuffuor who has recruited Maxwell Kofi Jumah.