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Opinions of Thursday, 11 September 2014

Columnist: Sledge, Alexander

Bugri Naabu must be called to order or shut his proboscis

Wise men speak because they have something to say, fools because they have to say something. I have been following the actions, utterances and behavior of the Northern Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Daniel Bugri Naabu ever since he was elected.

An albatross they say is a burden, a burden that refuses to let you be and prevents you from doing something. When that 'something' is not harmful then an albatross can be quite beneficial but on the other hand, when that 'something' is bad, it becomes problematic and this is a clear instance of the character and behavior of Daniel Bugri Naabu.

This man is seriously establishing himself as a nemesis to the NPP fraternity and I think he must be called to order immediately or risk derailing our party’s electoral chances in 2016.

Bugri Naabu a staunch Nana Addo supporter is always in the news for the wrong reason. It is either he is insulting the current national executives, mainly, Paul Afoko or Kwabena Agyapong.

His latest comments about the recent super delegates’ conference adds salt to the injury. His directive of constituting a 3 member panel to investigate those who didn't vote for his demigod is just provocative and he must be dealt with immediately.

He talks and behaves as if he has absolute power over all the national executives of our party. “I was voted by popular majority in the party so if I want to do my thing, who can stop me by saying that what I am doing is not right? I am the chairman of the region and any person I think is doing something wrong, I can penalize them because I have that mandate…I have the right to discipline any officer who goes against my wish,”- Bugri Naabu.

We have a situation where people who belong to the same political party which taunts itself as the bastions of democracy in Ghana cannot practice and assure the liberties on the fundamental pillars on which democracy must be established. This disgrace of a democracy in a party has gotten to the point where after votes from the Super Delegate Conference in the Northern Region where Nana Addo secured 64 votes, Alan 4 and another candidate securing 2 votes, a party’s Regional Chairman has set up a committee to investigate and to identify the 6 who voted for candidates other than Nana Addo. This is very weird and dangerous for a thriving democracy in a nation that is emerging as a shining example in the West African sub region and Africa as a whole.

According to Mr. Bugri Naabu, they coerced the delegates from the Northern Region to swear with the Bible and the Qur’an that they must vote for Nana Addo and no one else. He has constituted a committee to fish out the individuals who went against their oath and he even wants to punish such people. He said he is in charge of the region and has the power to act in his own capacity and no one else can talk about law.

I am completely shocked listening to this rather bizarre act. What at all is happening in the NPP such that people who are openly flaunting the rules of the party cannot be called to order for sanity to prevail in the party? Or is it so because of the ambition of one man, the laws of the party must be bent to meet his desires and aspirations?

I am calling on the national council and current national executives to take this matter up and investigate this matter of votes buying and intimidating delegates to vote for a particular candidate.

We cannot afford to lose the 2016 elections and we must expose any actions by some individuals who will hamper our electoral fortunes.

God bless Ghana
God bless NPP!!

Alexander Sledge
Manhyia South constituency
Ashanti Region