Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader
Good Morning, Minority Leader! My letter may come as a surprise to you. But be assured that I bear you no malice. I’m only a curious citizen who seeks answers to questions nagging his medulla. Indeed, I’m a citizen and not a spectator.
I take this opportunity to congratulate you and your other colleagues on winning your parliamentary seats in the competitive December 2016 poll. To be able to withstand the destructive force of a tsunami is no mean achievement. You and your folks deserve commendation for resisting the strength of the tsunami that hit your party at the poll.
As a Minority, I know your main responsibility is to keep the ruling government on its toes. If my memory serves me right, you and your colleagues in the Minority have so far organized not less than three press conferences. You may think you are doing a good job; but have you bothered to ask yourselves whether your objectives are being met?
It is good to organize press conferences to express your view point on issues. But when it becomes obvious that you are organizing press conferences to delude your party folks that you are putting the government on its toes, then you must know that you have credibility issues.
The “Ayari-bribe” saga has also added to your credibility problems. Mahama Ayariga swore by the Holy Qur’an that he had received “bribe” from Mohammed Muntaka. The latter also swore by same that he never gave any “bribe” to the former. As a Minority and a leading member of the Appointments Committee, you were in a better position than most of your compatriots to know exactly what had happened. Indeed, you knew the truth but decided to be politically correct by seeing no evil, hearing no evil and speaking no evil.
In your heart of hearts, do you think your countrymen and women would ever trust you again? You know the pathological liar between the two but decided to keep mute for political expediency. Well, some of us will continue to press until you find your conscience and tell us the truth. So I ask; who between Ayariga and Muntaka lied through the teeth and committed blasphemy?
I do know very well that you are in a very difficult position. Frankly, I do not envy you at all. To be leader of demoralized, dejected, confused and parochial-seeking members of a party in opposition is not the most admirable position to find oneself.
I was in an office complex at Kanda in Accra when your deputy, James Avedzie, addressed a press conference on the $2.25 billion bond saga. The reaction of many to the voice blaring from the radio was one of contempt and scorn. The disdain was such that one could feel it. Obviously, your deputy’s voice brought out a feeling of de ja vu.
Indeed, the masses are not as stupid as you and your folks think. They are increasingly becoming aware of the political chess game you are playing. Many claim your party was incompetent in government, and even more incompetent in opposition. Others even claim that you are also a bunch of ignoramuses who have no clue about proper management of the economy.
So, you see, the anger directed at Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice-President, for referring to you and your ilk as “ignorant” is unfounded. It is unfounded because any politically neutral person in the country could tell that your “conflict of interest” allegation is standing on wobbly legs – thereby exposing your ignorance on the issue.
Come to think of it; could your allegation of conflict of interest be attributed to the proverbial sour grapes? We all remember how the Atta Mills and Mahama governments used eight years to chase a phantom $3 billion Chinese loan. It is obvious that your party is embarrassed by the fact that the smart Nana Addo government could raise $2.25 billion within its first hundred days in office.
Sometimes it amazes me how fine blokes like your humble self ended up in the camp of the mendacious folks. How can you continue defending the fraudulent AMERI deal when it is no longer secret that it was one of the methods your party used in milking the cow when you were in government? Is it not obvious to you that the continuous defence of such fraudulent deals will make it difficult, if not impossible, for the ‘lame horse’ to be healed?
Mr Minority Leader, the disease affecting your party has been diagnosed by Physician Bawumia. Fortunately for you, he has prescribed an effective drug to cure the ailment. Humbly accept the remedy and start reading because it is the only cure to your ignorance.
My unsolicited counsel to you and your party is to save your cries and ignorant rants until after the appointment of the Independent Prosecutor. From what I gather, he is going to be tenacious, merciless and insatiable. Not even the “witch-hunting” chorus would slow him down. Even as I advertise a wry smile, I ask: Why don’t you save your cries and rants for Mr Independent Prosecutor?
I shall write to you again in the not-too-distant future, Deo volente!