“In time of war, everything is fair” – Adolf Hitler
In my moment of absolute tranquility, I try to travel down memory lane to see what went wrong and what went right in this land of our death. For the umpteenth time, I have written in this column that I admire historians because they always look back. Anyone who looks back hardly falls as he looks forward again to continue his journey. It is when you look back as you move forward that you will see what went wrong along the way. Philosophy? No, simple logic.
The late President JJ Rawlings, the Founder of the NDC, once told us when Mills and Mahama were in power that about 60% of NDC functionaries were corrupt and that Ghanaians should open their eyes. He said the administration of Mills and Mahama has nothing good to offer Ghanaians. He also referred to the “Boys Boys” in the NDC as babies with sharp teeth. However, when it was time for the general election the following year, the same Rawlings joined to campaign for Mills and Mahama. I did not hear any NDC communicator complaining.
Goosie Tanoh, a half-cast and a staunch member of the NDC, was aspiring to lead the party when the term of Rawlings was about to come to an end. When Rawlings went to Swedru in the Central Region where the party had their National Delegates Conference, he unceremoniously held the hand of Mills before the Delegates and declared that in his absence, Mills will become the flagbearer of the party.
Goosie Tanoh and his team of supporters became peeved and they broke away from the party to form the Reform Party. The NDC lost that year’s general election mainly due to that break away. Today, Mr. Goosie Tando is back in the NDC and playing important roles for the party.
In 2006, Dr. Obed Asamoah, a key member of the NDC who had held various positions including the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Foreign Minister among others, decided to contest for the Party’s National Chairmanship position. The Delegates Congress which was held at the University of Ghana, Legon was nasty, brutal and bloody. Rawlings was in disagreement of Mr. Asamoah’s ambition and drove an edge between Obed and a cross-section of the delegates. Madam Frances Essiam and Prof. Wayo Seini also contested in National positions and joined the Obed Asamoah Campaign Team.
Rawlings added all of them together and invited the Azoka Boys, led by Sofo Azoka, who is now the 3rd Vice Chairman of the NDC, to Accra to teach Obed and his supporters a bitter lesson. On the day of the Delegates Congress, the Azoka Boys released terror on supporters of Obed, Frances Essiam and Prof. Wayo Seini.
They were lashed with horse whips and many of the supporters of Dr. Asamoah who were all wearing yellow T-shirts had to quickly put off the T-shirts and found something to cover their nakedness. Obed Asamoah in particular was accused of stealing huge amount of monies belonging to the party which he said was stolen from his bedroom. Prof. Wayo Seini, a devote Muslim, could not leave the high table to pray throughout the proceeding for fear of his life.
After that fateful Congress, Obed Asamoah and Frances Essiam left the party to form the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP). During the ensuing national electioneering campaign, dirty mud was thrown here and there among supporters of Obed and the NDC. Unprintable words were used against each other as both criss-crossed the country to campaign.
Today, Obed Asamoah has gone back to the NDC. Madam Frances Essiam is in charge of the Ghana Gas while Prof. Wayo Seini is ‘sitting his somewhere’. And do the fickle-minded NDC communicators remember the presidential flagbearership contest between Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, the 1st Vice Chairperson of the NDC and Prof. Fiifi Atta Mills? Maybe they have all too soon forgotten about the way Prof. Mills, the then sitting President of Ghana was treated like dirt during the campaign to lead the party. From the foregoing narratives, who among the NDC has the moral right to condemn Hon. Kennedy Agyapong and Kwabena Agyapong for joining the Dr. Bawumia Campaign Team?
Stand up and answer or face the wrath of Earth Angel Gabriel!
During the 2nd World War, Adolf Hitler poisoned a river in Poland which led to the death of several people. When he was questioned, he replied that “In time of war, everything is fair.” Whatever happened during the NPP presidential flagbearership contest is, therefore, fair. Kennedy Agyapong and Kwabena Agyapong, unlike Dr. Obed Asamoah and Goosie Tanoh, have proved that the political party they belong to is bigger than them.
Those who have been calling for Kennedy Agyapong and Kwabena Agyapong to break away and form their own political party like the way Alan Kyerematen has done have been put to shame. The two gentlemen have a future in the NPP so they will not allow any Jupiter to push them into doing things that will put sand in their gari.
This is the time for Kennedy Agyapong and Kwabena Agyapong to gird up their loins and hit the road with the affable Bawumia to make history. I know Kwabena Agyapong still harbors the pain in his heart following the gruesome murder of his father, Justice Agyapong during the revolutionary days led by the late Rawlings who later founded the NDC. He will be foolish to lose his guard for the same NDC to come to power again to unleash terror on the good people of this country.
Hon. Kennedy Agyapong who is a businessman of international repute knows very well what the NDC can do to him when they come to power. From all indications, only Kennedy Agyapong can dilute the poison brewed by Mr. Mahama when he made the pronouncement that the 2024 General Election will be a “do or die” affair. Atinga beyere Atinga!!!
Eric Bawah