There was not much good news for the NPP in the media over the past week. This has disappointed some of us. When I was a child, I thought grown-ups have knowledge, because they told me they have and there was no means to disbelieve them but sadly it is increasingly becoming clear that old age and education does not necessarily make some of the grown-ups wise or knowledgeable.

It has, indeed been a sleepless night for some of us on how the perceived in-fighting in the NPP is being handled by some leading members in the NPP. The Nana cum Alan drama has taken a dimension never seen or heard in the NPP. Though the NPP can not control the media on what they write, they have every reason and strength to control some of the leading members who speak or grant interview to the various media houses. I am extremely baffled why some leading members always want to speak on an issue. Why can’t these personalities learn from the uncontroversial utterances from the late-Courage Quarshigah?

Truly, it is very difficult to understand the rationale behind the actions of those leading personalities; some are tagged founding fathers, others as Elders in the party, why should the right judgment elude those personalities? Against the backdrop of these leading members and Elders having compromised their positions, it has, I believed, been very difficult for them to adjudicate on an issue or address differences amongst members. Today some of those leading members have lost the trust and respect amongst many folks in the NPP; the perception of impartiality will forever follow them. It is evident that many aggrieved NPP members have either no elder or a few in the NPP to go for redress. I’m beginning to foresee a situation where even a kindergarten child from Asokore-Koforidua will go on radio and offer wisdom to some of these Elders or leading members. This is the time for our Elders and leading members to learn the ‘talk less’ and sobering humility of the H.E. Aliu Mahama, Courage Quarshigah (M H S R I P), and others.

Another issue that has become a great concern to some of us are those writing in the various media be it Haruna Mahama, Nana Kofi Amankwah ,Akilu Sayibu, Damptey Danquah,Von Brazi, etc. It is very regrettable that they have forgotten that the NDC is likely to use some of their argument as ammunition to hit the NPP- the party they confessed to cherish. The other day I was shocked and psychologically paralyzed when Kofi Amankwah wrote “...…..old man who does not possesses any common sense, he continued; who in his right mind will ask you Akufo Addo to lead the party…..”, I have no idea the age of this Amankwah who lives in New York, but as a young guy in the NPP, this is totally unacceptable language to come from some one who is seriously pushing for Mr. Stephen Ntim Chairmanship ,then sadly Akilu Sayibu also wrote that if it is found out that Nana Addo instigated the alleged beating of some members of the Greater Accra Region branch of the NPP by his security details ,then to him ,Nana Addo should be given the ‘sack’ from the NPP. Paradoxically, Akilu is pushing for the agenda of making H.E.Aliu Mahama for the leadership slot in the NPP. The truth of the matter is, perhaps I admired the former Vice President more than Akilu and will always learn from the sobering and cultured attitude of this brilliant son from the North ;H.E.Aliu Mahama. It seems to me though, that there are emerging writers/columnists in the NPP who are competing for who ‘writes the most slurs’. I once read an article from Damptey referring to Mr. Alan Kyerematen as ‘nobody’ in the NPP. It is very unfortunate that some of these columnists’ have forgotten that when they attack either Nana or Alan, not only are they attacking Nana or Alan but also all their supporters and admirers. The hardest part will come when one of the ‘insulted’ personalities emerges as the President of Ghana, that is when their write-ups will come back to hunt them. Will they blame Nana or Alan if in the sharing of ‘recognition’, they are sidelined, and will they classify that action as personal vendetta? Forgetting that their ‘insults’ tainted the image of those two leading contenders in the NPP leadership race. Perhaps Nana and Alan perceived columnists will take a clue from the torment Dr.Spio Garbrah is going through in the NDC. One thing I will never allow is damaging my personal reputation and I have a feeling that Nana and Alan feel the same, and will never forget the ‘insults’ heaped on them by some of these columnists. So let me make a subtle appeal to Kofi Amankwah, Akilu, Haruna, Von Brazi, etc to be mindful of the language they use in their write-ups. When we are a political family, we don’t insult each other; let us not give ammunitions to the NDC to use them against us. When either Nana or Alan is insulted, it inherently meant that the foot soldiers have to work extra hard to do damage control. Let’s all be civil and refrain from using unpalatable language in our write-ups.

On the more substantive issue of who leads the NPP that has precipitated all this euphoria. I am stunned that anyone will be in a state of illusion in believing that there is a third person or the perceived neutral person that can wrestle the leadership potential from Nana or Alan. Absolutely there is none, it is either Nana or Alan that has been my stand since we lost power. I have repeatedly said about the admiration I have for the former Vice President H.E.Alhaji Aliu Mahama but sadly there seems to be ‘ a compatibility’ missing. .Hon. Isaac Osei needs to do more to ‘deep root’ his name across the party. It is therefore incumbent on the respected delegates to ask Nana and Alan to table their strategies (blue print) on how they will heal the wounds after the election of the flag bearer. Let the delegates demand how a ‘road map’ will be drawn to bring enormous solace to the vanquish. Let there be generosity, oneness, decency, and a resolved to do the fundamental things that will bring the NPP back to power. All our energies should be tuned into offering constructive suggestions on the way forward for the NPP.

‘’To Him that lacks knowledge, let him be silenced’’

MARTIN KWANING Former TESCON President