Opinions of Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Columnist: Innocent, Ivan Kyei

Akuffo Addo And 2016, Who Rules?

The much anticipated declaration of Akuffo Addo has finally seen the light of day.

The twice-defeated gentleman of the npp, Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo after series of what he describes as consultation with the stakeholders of the party, has finally declared his desire to contest on the ticket of the Npp come 2016 elections to revive his unending quest to unseat President John Mahama. After several hours of drumming and singing at his private residence here in Accra, the intelligent but politically uninspiring and war tainted Akuffo Addo assured his teaming supporters of his intention to contest the flagbearership of the party (the npp)

His annunciation did not come as a surprise to some of us at all because the indicators prior to the declaration pointed to a possible and a sure return Akuffo Addo.

His return springs to minds several intriguing questions as to whether or not the attempt to remove John Mahama from office through the popular "pinksheets and you and l were not there" mantra at the supreme were mere charade to nail him (Nana Addo) to the sympathy books of party faithfuls. A grand conspiracy to force Nana Addo on voters for the third time with the hope of winning what they describe as sympathy votes is being led by some top party officials.

No wonder some party officials who are required to remain neutral by virtue of their position and seek to the progress and widening of internal party democracy have reduced themselves to mere surrogates of Nana Addo and have vowed to present him for President even in wheelchair.

The little l know about Nana Addo, he is not a bad person as had been portrayed in the various political discourse, he is a fine gentleman, academically, a force to reckon with, a good father and undeniable a lovely husband but politically, there seem to be nothing motivating about him, he's a character devoid of leadership qualities, l may be wrong though but my impression is being motivated by the continual drop in percentage of votes cast in his favour since 2008.

Unsuspectingly his come back is a likely move to consolidate John Mahama's double term bid rather than taking the lost elephant to the Flagstaff House.

Nana's presidential obsession has forced him to reject calls on him that he would be too old to be President and should rather make way for another person but no way.

However, Ghanaians can not afford to hand over leadership of a lower middle income state to someone devoid of leadership qualities, someone who wants to use executive powers to settle personal vendetta against political targets, someone who wants to use a challenged economy to test his untenable leadership skills, no way, future generations would forever hold it against us if we risked towing that path.

It's always good to have a strong desire to lead your nation towards a total economic emancipation but it doesn't make you a fine leader, l understand Nana's desire to be President at all cost, the party’s interest must be elevated beyond personal benefits.

I don't like making predictions but 2016 is a lost course for Nana Addo, his third and most humiliating defeat will be handed to him in 2016 but fortunately for Nana, he has developed a tough skin and enlarged heart to cool defeats, l only pity Rebecca, his beautiful wife.

The return of Akuffo Addo may not seem good especially for a man who will turn 72 in 2016, his health, especially putting his mental wellbeing in a critical perspective by considering the kind of unkempt political pressure our Presidents are faced with, Nana Addo at 72 may loose it before senile dementia takes over. A young and growing economy requires active brain crackers , young and energetic people in leadership but not aged and easily fatigued men who go to bed at 6pm and wake up at 9am. Ghana needs strong, vibrant and formidable opposition parties to be critically massaging the activities of government in power to be effective but unfortunately for us, the npp appear to be their own enemies, they have deliberately created a situation to dispose off certain favourable candidates into political dustbins of the party as they struggle tirelessly to resuscitate politically doomed Akuffo Addo to promise Ghanaians free water electricity and gass going into 2016 elections.

Equally intelligent but young and energetic, several of such characters are in the npp but the question is why Nana Addo in wheelchair? You may want to blame it on the complex presentation of our politics where nepotism and selfishness dominates but the truth is simple, he's being used by same party executives to maintain their grounds in the party’s leadership.

After loosing the 2016 elections, Nana on stretcher will definitely appear again to contest the seat of the President in 2020.

The party executives calling for the return of the old man should assume responsibility and remain neutral, this will bring some sanity into the contest and whoever wins will be accepted and supported by all in the npp to deepen Ghana's multi party democracy.

The Bible is my witness. From ; Ivan Kyei Innocent

Contact: nanakyei81@gmail.com /0206262717