Opinions of Friday, 15 November 2013

Columnist: Iddi, Wuni

Indiscipline In 1st Alhaji Aliu Mahana Foundation Lecture

The former Vice President of Ghana under the J. A Kufour NPP led Gov't, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, was a discipline politician. Who is a discipline politician? In my view, a discipline politician is someone who is not a corrupt politician, has led an exemplary life worthy of emulation, and does not indulge in propagating lies for political benefit. Such was the late Vice President. In all his eight years apprenticeship as a Vice President under his "master," JAK, Alhaji Aliu Mahama proved beyond all doubts that he was a discipline politician who was qualified to succeed his master as the presidential candidate for the NPP in the 2008 election. And i do believe that he would have brought unity and victory to the NPP. Yes, he would have won the 2008 election because he was a politician who could attract vote across all the various political parties. He also related to the ordinary Ghanaian so well. But did his master J.A Kufuor), and all those who spoke so well of him after his death supported his ambition to lead the party and instill political discipline in the leadership of the party in 2008? Needless for me to say yes or no.

Let's us not pretend there is no political indiscipline in the NPP, then and now. Do i need to cite examples? It is also needless. In fact, that was another reason why the NPP lost twice. And what is even more worrying is that, the indiscipline in the party today has blurred the vision and conscience of all those who sang praises for Dr. Bawumia for his showmanship in the just ended court case to lay low and quite in coming out right now to push him forward as the candidate to lead the party in 2016, even though they made it abundantly clear to all of us during the court hearing, that he (Bawumia) deserve to lead the party in 2016. But would that happen? Well, time will tell. Let's wait and see what his "master," Nana Addo will do. Would he (Nana Addo) support Bawumia or would he still want to become a president in 2016? Well, time will surely tell.

Now, to my main concern. Why all this unnecessary, unwarranted, avoidable embarrassment to the honor and dignity of Alhaji Aliu Mahama? Why this indiscipline attitude and utterances from the organizers of the lecture? I do not support Haruna Atta's indiscipline conduct and i certainly do not also support the indiscipline attitude of the Co-chairman of the foundation, Mr. O.B Amoah's condemnation of Haruna Atta's press release. It was needless. It only succeeded in compounding the indiscipline exhibited by Haruna Atta, and devaluing the significance of the main event (the lecture).

I do not mean to question the wisdom of Dr. Bawumia to talk on the topic he chose. But as much as i can understand the relevance of it considering the economic mess Ghana has found herself in, I do also think that Dr. Bawumia could have done himslef better and made Alhaji Aliu Mahama happier if he highlighted the personality of the late president and not take political capital of the foundation to play economic politics there. It was also avoidable.

As a matter of fact, if the foundation must grow and grow beyond partisanship, the organizers need to rethink and redirect the foundation's vision to be all inclusive, because the late Vice President was bigger than NPP though it was NPP that gave him the opportunity to become the second most important person of Ghana from 2004 - 2008.

Rest In Peace, Alhaji Aliu Mahama.

Iddi Wuni Jnr.

Email: iddiwuni@yahoo.com