In the interest of party unity and historical continuity, and in my respectful opinion, I hold the view strongly that it would be wise for Alan Kyeremanteng to consider stepping aside and supporting Dr. Bawumia’s candidacy, an act that will be a strong imprint on oursacred history and forever honor the spirits of Chief Dombo.
This would not only honor the legacy of Chief Dombo’s selflessness, but it would also demonstrate a commitment to the democratic ideals of fairness and inclusivity, and reciprocity.
Furthermore, this gesture would cement Alan Kyeremanteng’s place in the history of the NPP forever as a revered figure and statesman who put the interests of the party above personal ambition.
By taking this step, he would elevate himself to the level of a pillar within the party, rather than being viewed as a by-product of the great Kufuor administration.
This decision, however difficult it may seem is the bitter pill that could also position Chief Alan almost automatically as a running mate, strengthening the party’s chances of convincingly winning the upcoming elections in about18 months time.
It is important for him to carefully consider the long-term benefits of this decision and act in the best interest of the party and the country as a whole.
It is quite obvious that it is in Alan’s interest to repay Dombo’s kindness and it is, indeed, Bawumia’s time to take up the mantle like Busia.
Last weekend, during the ‘aduro wo so’ walk through the principal streets of Accra, which I must confess was very well organized, I saw Chief Alan and his beautiful wife, Patricia, dressed so elegantly in black and white, and I could only speculate that he did so to honor the colors of the two outstanding secondary schools he attended–Adisadel College and Achimota School. My small piece of advice to Chief Alan, from an Akora myself, is for him to carefully ponder the words of the famous school song that exhorts us to “subjugate so we may rule.”
I will be pained to see Chief Alan ending up his political career like the brilliant Ekow Spio Garbrah of the NDC, but if he chooses to continue on the path he has started, I am afraid but confident that it will not be in his best interests based on the statistics and data I have seen.
The pro-NAPO and pro-Adutwum groups are already cursing me as they read this because they hope Alan becomes heart hardened and does not see this obvious reasonable escape that will forever make him a pillar in his own right as far as the history of the party is concerned.
I don’t need a soothsayer to tell me this. I do not believe, either, that the thinking of many is that party stalwarts like Atta Akyea, Nana Akomea, the veteran Hackman Owusu Agyemang, and Parliament’s majority leader Kyei Mensah Bonsu (in the order of their respective media engagements I heard) did not have the best interest of the party at heart when they mooted such a brilliant idea. However, I must also admit that for a party that touts itself as having the men, it is more than capable in selecting a befitting running mate should the proposal of these aforementioned men not see light.
Why am I so certain that Bawumia will win? Is that the question you have on your mind? Despite the fact that I have a number of reasons, for the purpose of this argument I’ll limit myselfto just two, and they’ll be focused on two important individuals and the roles I observe they each play.
One is Mr. Sammy Awuku of the NLA as a sign of what we should expect from the “party,” and the other is Annoh-Dompreh, the Majority Chief Whip, as a representation of what we should anticipate from Parliament.
The latter, the majority chief whip, Annoh-Dompreh, has openly declared his support for Dr. Bawumia in the upcoming NPP primaries and has even displayed the Vice President’s image on billboards in his home constituency.
Parliamentary whips all over the world are skilled researchers by the nature of their work and very excellent negotiators, and his open declaration of support is to be interpreted as a majority decision of sorts.
In the current hung Parliament, he has achieved success in getting some important bills passed, indicating that he is well-informed and one who knows exactly what he’s about.
His support of Dr. Bawumia, in my candid opinion, bodes well for the Vice President since it indicates where Parliament’s loyalty lies. The very reason I was not surprised when it was widely reportedby the media that Dr. Bawumia had informed Parliament first about his decision to contest in the upcoming primaries.
Another key factor contributing to my confidence that Dr. Bawumia will win the upcoming NPP primaries is the support of Sammy Awuku, a highly respected member of the party who has served as the former National Youth Organiser and National Organiser. Awuku, even though very young has over the years built some influence and have been instrumental in mentoring rising stars in the party, including the likes of Henry Nana Boakye and Justin Kodua Frimpong, who now hold prominent positions within the party. With Awuku’s reach spanning every constituency in Ghana, his support for Dr. Bawumia is a clear indication that the Vice President is the preferred choice of many delegates. With such strong backing, it is clear that Dr. Bawumia is poised for victory in the upcoming primaries.
I am aware that some people will purposefully find it difficult to understand the connections I have made in my argument, but let’s look at it this way. Do you think Mr. Godfred Dame, Abu Jinapor, or Asenso Boakye would have been playing the roles they have under President Akufo-Addo if Chief Alan had won the internal competition after President Kufuor? Ayikoi Otoo and the rest of the group may have served as Speaker of Parliament, among other positions which had the potential of leading to a whole different arrangement irrespective of the fact that it is the same NPP party. My position is that Abu Jinapor’s political future cannot be separated from the current platform provided by President Akufo-Addo, and even though he excels in his field, there is no guarantee that he would have achieved this level of success under a different NPP administration. So in essence, we have to agree that a Dombo-led prime minister would have led to different political outcomes to that of Busia. That is an undeniable fact!
To fulfil my promise to address the Akoto issue before I end, I humbly implore all readers to find Steven Ntim, Chairman of the NPP’s statement at the book launch of, “BAFFOUR OSEI AKOTO: A ROYAL PATRIOT AND THE MAKING OF GHANA” held on August 31, 2022, at the auditorium of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.
After reading the speech, which was rich with wisdom, you’ll understand the main point of my argument.
However, is it not satisfactory to see that the wise Chairman made those statements at no other place than at the book launch marking the 20th anniversary in memory of the illustrious Baffour Akoto?
Maybe Baffour Akoto’s spirit was directing his son to assume that paternal responsibility and make sure that a member of the Busia lineage placates the Dombos.
The former Agric Minister, I reckon should be interested in leading that dialogue as it will bode well for his career and also the descendants of Akoto.
In conclusion, I believe we all know whose turn it is. Is it Alan’s turn as he’s touting? Obviously not! Dombo’s turn has come. The late Sir John was right to have made that audacious claim in the Asempa Fm studio’s in one of the many exciting Ekosii Sen interviews that it was Dombo’s turn. I couldn’t agree more with him. Our God being so good, we have a Dombo with some class in Dr. Bawumia. Among his many talents, Dr. Bawumia is renowned for his ability to explain difficult economic concepts in a way that is understandable to the average population, which I think will be useful as the general elections in 2024 draw near.
To the great Chief Alan, I will humbly end by quoting Sun Tzu, the ancient Chinese military strategist, that says “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” This quote suggests that victory can be achieved through strategic planning and tactics that minimize the need for confrontation.
While this quote is not directly related to elections or abstaining from them, in my view it can be interpreted as a reminder that there are often multiple paths to victory and that sometimes the most effective approach may involve avoiding direct competition altogether.
This is NPP’s surest way to breaking the 8!
Thank You
Gideon Kwasi Annor , NPP Member.
annorgideonkwasi@gmail.com