Politics of Friday, 23 January 2015

Source: The Informer

Ghanaians Ask: Otabil hiding his NPP credentials?

Dr. Mensa Anamua Otabil has been questioning the poor leadership styles of both the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), and wonders why Ghanaians continue to vote these two political parties into power.

The General Overseer of International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) believes that apart from party slogans, symbols, candidates and tribal affiliations, Ghanaians do not critically examine the two (2) major parties, taking into account differences in policies or whatsoever, before voting them into power.

According to the Man of God, who is also Chancellor of the Central University College, Ghanaians should be more critical in their decisions as they go to the polls to elect a party to manage the affairs of the country, having alternate power among these two major political parties (NDC, NPP).

Dr. Otabil was quoted to have made this remark during one of his series - on “Wisdom,” taken from chapter 7:24-27 of the book of Matthew in the Holy Bible.

Having decided to give the above chapter from the good old book a political dimension, the General Overseer of the ICGC probed to know why Ghanaians have decided to interchange power among the two major political parties, since the coming into force of the Fourth Republican Constitution.

“If you ask the average Ghanaian, what is the main difference between the main political parties in Ghana beyond slogans, symbols, candidates and tribal affiliations: Beyond that what is the main difference," Dr. Otabil is quoted to have said in discrediting the NDC; and NPP that he is known to be sympathetic towards.

To buttress his statement, Dr. Mensa Otabil cited the voting patterns of Ghanaians in previous elections, questioning what might have informed their choices the way they do; adding that the entire nation sometimes makes decisions based on the surface - and just the surface.

Having labeled President John Dramani Mahama’s Government a “sinking ship”, and how sympathetic he has been towards the NPP, many discerning Ghanaians who called The Informer to share their views on Pastor Otabil’s statement, asked whether he (Otabil) is trying to hide his NPP credentials.

According to them, Ghanaians already have a fair idea of his sympathy for the NPP and how he had always made his views known with regards to issues on governance in this country; and nothing he will do, will change the perceptions of Ghanaians about him.

“After all, it is a public secret that, Dr. Mensa Otabil, will prefer an NPP government, else he will not have been so derogatory to have described the current government as a “sinking ship,” these fair-minded Ghanaians stated.

“By their fruits, they shall be known; and we know Pastor Mensa Otabil very well since 1992 through 2001-2008 and till date; so he shouldn’t try to pull a smart one on Ghanaians by portraying himself as a neutral person by hiding his NPP credentials,” they conclude.