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Politics of Thursday, 11 January 2007

Source: Lens

Millsmania Hits NPP

P. C. Appiah Ofori Endorses Mills, and says NPP Would Have Loved To Have Him As Their Presidential Candidate
Appiah Menka, others Running Scared…



That the election of Prof. John Evans Atta-Mills as the flagbearer of the NDC has sent shock waves through the ruling New Patriotic Party is not mere conjecture. One only has to listen to the honest outspoken members of that party to appreciate the level of trepidation that has engulfed the party. While a founding member and leading light in the NPP, Mr. Appiah Menka of Apino soap fame, has all but made it emphatically clear that the election of Prof John Evans Atta Mills as the flagbearer for the NDC represents a virtual ‘mission impossible’ for the NPP, Hon. P. C. Appiah Ofori, has made it clear that the New Patriotic Party would have wished that Prof. Mills was its flagbearer.

Speaking on Happy 98.9FM in Accra on Monday 8th January 2007, Hon. P. C. Appiah Ofori did not leave any doubt in the minds of listeners that Prof. John Evans Atta-Mills represents the very best leader that this country could ever hope for.

Hon. P. C. Appiah Ofori made it clear that the NPP would have wished that Prof. Mills was standing for President on the ticket of the NPP.

As if that was not enough, Hon. P. C. Appiah Ofori came back on Radio Gold on Wednesday to reiterate his endorsement of Prof. Mills’ candidature.

He pointed out that very detailed investigations carried out by the NPP to find some evidence that could suggest that Prof. Mills had been involved in some act of corruption during his tenure in public office have yielded no fruits as there was not a whiff of corruption tainting anything that Prof. Mills did while in public office.

“This is the kind of man that this country needs to lead the fight against corruption. If someone like Prof. Mills says that he is fighting against corruption, we can be sure that he would do it because he is not corrupt,” Hon. P. C. Appiah Ofori stressed.

When asked how he rates the commitment to the fight against corruption by those aspiring to lead the NPP, Hon. P. C. Appiah Ofori dismissed them.

He indicated that all those who were part of this government as Ministers or Cabinet Ministers cannot claim to be tainted by corruption since they are collectively responsible for the levels of corruption in the country today. Hon. P. C. Appiah Ofori is one of the very few NPP bigwigs who do not allow their party affiliation to becloud their honest assessment of issues. Not too long ago, another leading member of the NPP, Mr. Appiah Menka, speaking from his Kumasi base, whistled loudly in the ears of the NPP asking the party to have an early congress to elect a flagbearer since it would be a very tall order for the NPP should the NDC maintain Prof Mills.

The NDC has indeed maintained Prof Mills by an overwhelming majority and it seems that Appiah Menka’s fears have left his doorsteps and are now sharing his bed with him hence his latest confession that the professor is in pole position to win the 2008 elections.

Additionally, a near-tears NPP MP who spoke to The Ghanaian Lens over the weekend at his party’s hurriedly put together delegates congress at Koforidua, has heaped tons of hot coal on the head of John Agyekum Kufuor for being the cause of the woes of the NPP.

The MP, who wanted his name to be mentioned but was prevailed upon by some of his constituents to hold back a bit, did not mince words at all about how Kufuor has by his words and deeds, especially his deeds, single handedly destroyed what millions of people have worked for.

According to the MP, he has decided not to contest his seat for the fourth time not because he would not win, but because there is no more pride in being a member of Parliament on the ticket of the NPP.

“The NPP, which used to be a source of pride to lots of us has become an embarrassing albatross hanging around the necks of some of us because of the way Kufuor has misconducted himself” the MP said.

“Most of our foot soldiers are just waiting patiently for 2008 to teach the party a lesson because Kufuor has disappointed them. It happened to the NDC in 2000 and it will happen to us in 2008. The president has no plan for governing this country and if we had known this is the way he would disgrace us we would have voted for Akuffo Addo in 1998 to lead the party,” the MP added.

The MP cited, the lack of jobs, the numerous labour unrests, the unending energy crisis, the failed so-called presidential initiatives, the drug menace, the filth that has engulfed the capital city, the very dizzy crime rate, the turning of the castle into a kickback generating machinery, the enriching of president’s children and close friends at the expense of the generality of citizens, and the low level to which morality has sunk, as ample evidence of the gross failure of the Kufuor administration.

“Kufuor has failed us and I am not going to pretend that he has not just because I belong to the NPP,” was the parting shot of the MP.

There is no denying the fact that John Agyekum Kufuor has not only failed the NPP, but has failed the country as a whole.

And on the eve of the country’s 50th birthday, it is manifestly clear that Kwame Nkrumah and the Founding Fathers of the nation would be turning in their graves at the way years after they hoisted the Ghana flag and gave us a sense of pride and belonging, it has taken one very incompetent member of the Danqua/Busia tradition and his lackeys, to reduce the country to nothingness.