The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu-Nketia alias General Mosquito, has suggested that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and media houses linked to it, misinterpreted the NDC National Chairman’s call for an end to the winner-takes-all politics.
Mr. Asiedu-Nketia explained that Dr. Kwabena Adjei did not mean that some members of the NPP should be given ministerial portfolios, but only wanted a stop to a situation where every new administration haunted and chased out all appointees of the previous government from state-owned institutions unjustly.
“Do you think if President Mahama in his wisdom decides to appoint an NPP person to be the Minister of Education that person would do everything possible to ensure the president achieves his vision for quality education while the NPP were touting the unattainable free secondary education,” he quizzed the host.
General Mosquito was speaking on a political programme “Kukrantumi” hosted by Kofi Asante Anning on Nhyira FM in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, last Saturday.
Dr Adjei at a ceremony to mark the 21st anniversary of the NPP last week Thursday, said the election petition at the Supreme Court is enough for political parties to come to the realization that seeking the interest of the country should be the priority, and called on political parties to unite and do away with the “winner-takes-all” syndrome in Ghana’s politics.
"Let’s work towards the definition and the pursuance of the national interest, let us also work towards the win-win situation in any electoral event.
“I think that something that makes us insecure is the fact that, usually the winner takes it all; from now on, don’t let the winner take it all, let us share, this country belongs to all of us," he added.
Dr. Kwabena Adjei added that whichever way the Supreme Court verdict goes in the election petition case is irrelevant, since the decision he said would be in the interest of all Ghanaians.
“I have given promise that we unite to make sure that peace prevails, wherever the verdict goes is immaterial”.
He added that “the electorate cannot blackmail us anymore, such that the media cannot hit our heads together any more…NGOs will not simply conduct some surveys and call us corrupt when we are not.
“Usually, people who attribute corruption to others are more corrupt than the people they attribute the corruption to”.
But the NDC General Secretary on the Kumasi-based radio station insists his boss was misinterpreted.
Mr. Asiedu-Nketia also used the opportunity to entreat supporters of his party to desist from engaging in any act that can dent the image of the party after the verdict by the Supreme Court this Thursday.
He was hopeful that nothing untoward would happen to thwart the solid path of democracy and development which the people had sacrificed to put in place.
“I believed Ghana as peaceful as we are, nothing chaotic would happen after Thursday’s ruling, if only the ambassadors of “all-die-be-die accept the outcome in good faith and educate their supporters for us to move ahead” he stressed.
Interestedly on the same programme, the efforts by the Media Foundation for West Africa and other civil society organizations to ensure decency in political discourse on the air waves seems to have fallen on deaf ears as NPP elements continue to spew unrefined languages on the airwaves.
Mr. Yaw Adomako Baafi, a communication member of the party, is the latest person to have followed the bunch of foul mouthed members of the party. He has descended into the gutters by labeling voters in the Ashanti Region as “insane and headless persons.
He said in Twi, “ won a wo wo Ashanti na woto aba ma NDC, won ni tri, won ni adwene” to wit “ Those voters in Ashanti who voted for the NDC are headless and insane”.
His sheer of arrogant and bossy nature on air, ignited high tempers as the host who threatened to take him off if he did not render unqualified apology, Mr. Baafi arrogantly said, “If you say I have spoken irresponsibly, then I’m sorry”.
After he reluctantly apologized, Mr Baafi, popularly called “Lawyer,” even though he has never studied law, went ahead to say worst things, comparing the leadership of President Mahama to that of King Nebuchadnezzar and Egyptians.
“Yen honu sa Nebuchadnezzar ne Misrimfo amanbuo bi da, yen, nyame be di yen asem ama yen” Literally meaning “we have never seen this type of Nebuchadnezzar and Egyptians (Misrimfo) governance before, we know God will; intercede on our behalf.
About three weeks ago, the former Member of Parliament for Asokwa Constituency, Mr. Maxwell Kofi Jumah was on record to have tagged the Assembly Members of the Kwabre East District as “senseless and good for nothing Assembly Members’ for endorsing the president’s nominee for the post of a District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr. Adams Iddisa.
Mr. Iddisa failed in the first vote, as he did not secure the required two third majorities.
He, however, was endorsed when the voting exercise was fixed for a later date, but this did not go down well with Mr. Jumah who was on Hello Fm’s political programme, hosted by King Edward, described the Assembly Members as “ senseless and good for nothing persons”.
“Those Assembly Members who voted to confirm that DCE are senseless and good for nothing, they were just seeking to satisfy their stomach, against what they were elected to do,” he added.