In yesterday, (Monday 18 July, 2011) issue, we promised readers to provide a front page comment on the real motive behind the news of Dr. Obed Yao Asamoah and his fellow travellers’ desperate bid to rejoin the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a party Obed tried very hard to decimate without success.

We on the Daily Post have taken note of a few ugly noises from some political upstarts in the NDC on the Obed issue. We salute their courage to speak their minds and to welcome his return. However, we are of the view that their assessments lacked any serious political evaluation on the merit of the facts and concerns expressed by sections of party members. In the field of communication and particularly journalism, it is reckoned that when you open your mouth too wide on an issue of sensitive nature without thinking of the ramifications, you stand the risk of eating back your words in the future, when the sound bite is played back.

The Daily Post supports the position of the grassroots of the party for resisting the return of Dr. Obed Asamoah and more importantly that if he chose to return, let him not set any conditions for his return. He is free, together with Bede Ziedeng and the few skeleton membership of the DFP to go to any branch of the party to re-register and be admitted into the fold. This is more essential if the NDC is desirous of building a solid and enduring political machine, which respects its own principles and values that undergird its formation. The party must reject the top-heavy approach. And this is why Obed must learn to understand the mechanics of the new NDC unlike his style of leadership where money is doled out to crass opportunists in the name of political organization.

Today’s NDC is on a path of ensuring the completion of the political osmosis which would see the Social Democratic Philosophy become the cornerstone of the party and not mere money politics. For us, Obed’s attempt to rejoin the NDC is nothing other than opportunism and political hypocrisy. Perhaps, in opposition and struggling to keep body and soul together, Obed had some kind words for NDC and its democratic credentials.

But as we stated earlier, communication and journalism has the principle of holding people to their words and pronouncements. First of all, we want to find out from Dr. Obed Asamoah if he still shares in his conviction that the NDC’s accusations of corruption leveled against the NPP prior to the 2008 election was a mere political propaganda and gimmick? Second, does he still believe in his new thinking and a paradigm shift in the culture of Ghanaian politics which he claimed the NDC cannot provide? Again, we want to ask Obed Asamoah if he still sticks to his claim prior to the 2008 elections that Ghana will be doomed should Ghanaians make a mistake and vote the NDC into power?

For us, these are supposed to be the prophetic words of the only ‘political thinker’, ‘democrat’ and ‘strategist’ in Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana. Flowing from this, if Obed believes in his pronouncements, then why would he now wants to dine and sup with the ‘Doomsday President’? The members of the NDC must see through this evil and position themselves in a way as to reject the obvious politics of hypocrisy and opportunism.

As true Christians and Muslims, we have been taught to forgive because it is divine and worthy. But we cannot forgive traitors and people who have not turn on a new leaf. Their pretensions to recognize transformation in the NDC is dictated by greed, pecuniary difficulties and above all political opportunism. It is our position that until Obed Asamoah retracts some of his comments, forgiveness would be difficult from the rank and file of the party. He must tell the people of Ghana and beyond that the NDC is not populated by hoodlums as he claimed when he abandoned ship after his disastrous showing at the Koforidua congress. In his resignation and subsequent formation of the discredited DFP, Obed Asamoah stated in a press release:

“I wish to state that events at the congress and subsequent thereto shows the intention of my opponents is to drive me out of the NDC. It is obvious that I would remain within the NDC only at the risk of my life, and that is not desirable.

One of the characteristics of a democratic organization is the capacity to manage opposing views through dialogue, compromise and respect for established procedures.

Within the NDC as of now, dissent, particularly against certain personalities, is considered as treacherous to be dealt with by violence and hooliganism.

It is obvious that I do not share in those methods. I therefore no longer can associate myself with an organization employing such methods.

There is the need to raise the level of political debate in this country from personal attacks (physical or verbal), threats of political vendetta, character assassination, lies and vulgar abuse to the consideration of values, issues, principles and more specifically what concerns the people the most in their everyday lives.”

We do not intend to comment further on such a statement of moronic proportions and which is laced with diabolical intentions with the view to gain the high moral ground in politics. What then is the motivation for a return to the NDC? Why would Obed attach strings to his purported return by adopting political gymnastics to gain some leverage when it is clear to all and sundry that he is broke and needs the NDC to remain afloat both financially and politically? He and Bede Ziedeng have more questions to answer than merely hiding behind the likes of Dan Markin to exploit the NDC.

For those who have ears to hear and eyes to see, the days of hypocrisy and opportunism is over for such characters who think they are the only persons imbued with ‘Mosaic Wisdom’ and they alone have common sense and political wisdom to make a political party thick. The NDC is on a new path and the concerns of the grassroots must override any selfish individual interests and more particularly the scheming tactics and treachery of a political spent force such as Obed Asamoah.

We shall be back!