In 1996, a gentleman from the Northern Region was chosen as a Vice President to John Agyekum Kuffour of the NPP who won the 2000 general elections after beating the late Professor J.E.A Mills of blessed memory.

After he worked very hard as the second most powerful person in Ghana for 8-years, it was now time for him also to be confirmed and endorsed to contest the position of the highest office in Ghana.

Vice President Aliu Mahama was that gentleman who had the rude awakening. He was extremely SHOCKED when he was told point blank by the top leaders of the NPP that he DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THAT POSITION because he's a "TANII", a derogatory language for a Northerner and yet he contested that election and got only 20 votes of the total votes cast by NPP delegates. It served him right.

Another gentleman from the same Northern Region was quickly confirmed by NDC, whose members are Social Democrats to ascend to the position of the highest office of the land when the former holder of that high office died suddenly in June 2012. After completing the remaining term of his predecessor for 2 years, his Party quickly confirmed him un-opposed and endorsed him as the new leader of the NDC, so that he could continue in office as the most powerful person in Ghana even though he is a “TANI” – Northerner.

But the violent prone tribal NPP described him as a spare tire. This time round, members of the NDC persuasion considered the leadership qualities and capabilities as far more important prerequisite than ETHINICITY in ascending the highest office of the land, dear reader, this is a tale of the two Mahamas in Ghana: The late Vice President Aliu Mahama of the NPP and current President John Dramani Mahama of the great NDC.

Since the inception of the NPP IN 1992 – The Party had been plagued with Paranoia and extreme tribalism – which is the stock-in-trade of the (UP) tradition which the NPP represent today 2016. It is just a matter of time, and Dr. Bawumia will also get a rude shock of his life, as he throws his weight about.

Paul Afoko was framed up and described as a drug baron and investigations were conducted in the United Kingdom. The Scotland Yard told Ghanaians that Afoko is not a drug baron or a criminal, yet the top gurus of the tribal grouping calling itself a political party by name NPP removed him by force.

Feeling ashamed and embarrassed, these fire eating political rascals said “If they don’t remove Mr. Kwabena Agyapong too – an Akan as secretary, our anti Northerner tag will be too glaring and they sacked their General Secretary violently by smashing the windscreen of his official car.

The fact is that all NPP Presidential candidates had been Akan speaking people. Meanwhile the National Democratic Congress (NDC) which is the other political Party always have it right since 1992, it has a national appeal because it draws support from all the major ethnic groups in Ghana as a consequence.

It has on many occasions demonstrated its capabilities by winning more parliamentary seats in all the Regions of the country. The NPP on the other hand has consistently been unable to expand its limited support base. The Ashanti and Eastern Regions of the country are its strong holds where the people have vowed to vote for even animals decorated with the NPP flags – political hippocrates, who also put a particular tribe before the people of Ghana and lost.

They can’t see anything beyond their tribe and that’s the NPP for you. If the NPP wants to be competitive, and win elections, it must honestly and thoroughly assess itself and evolve strategies that will enable it win National Appeal.

It must first work hard to eradicate the negative perception of it being an “ Akan – based Party which is 100% through. This is the conclusion of the story of the two Mahamas from the North.

A negative Mahama that was used for 8 years and dumped by the NPP and a positive Mahama who was used by the NDC and endorsed as the President of Ghana who beat the NPP with just 40 days in 2012.

I AM FOR JM - WHAT ABOUT U?

Vote for peace and massive development.

Writer's e-mail: clementsang@yahoo.com