The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is accused by the other political parties of being Akan-based and in some communities – this noble party is called the Asante Party.
The Socialists have succeeded in eroding the love and support some ethnic groups have for Asantes, just because of politics. Rawlings, who married an Asante, was among those who blotted out Akans, especially Asantes, from the minds and hearts of the Ewes, the Dangbes, the Gas, and some others. With the Ewes, the sad thing is that they were part of the United Party with two of the six parties being Ewes. Today, the Ewes seem to be gone.
In view of this, it is very unacceptable that NPP members will go about saying Akans cannot lead the party, because other ethnic groups will feel left out.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has never elected an Asante to lead the Party, even though the Ashanti Region gives it the highest vote. In all this, however, the NDC is in no hurry to let an Asante lead the Party.
The loyalty of Asantes for the NPP must not be taken for granted. And this is from experience.
In 2000, NPP’s Kwabena Sarfo won the Offinso South seat with 71% of the valid votes cast. By 2004, he was having differences with his constituents, and many wanted him replaced. When that did not happen, an NPP member, Joseph Akwasi Kumah, decided to go independent. Many well-meaning members of the party knew the die was cast the NPP could lose the seat. That must not happen.
Some party elders approached an indigene of Offinso, Owura Akwesi Doku, also known as Mr. Mike Dugan, a national executive member of the party, and laid down their fears. This fine gentleman sought audience with then President J.A. Kufuor and discussed the problem with him.
At a political rally in Offinso, the then President, a real gentleman, acknowledged that the Member of Parliament (MP) was not doing well, but asked the people to forgive him (the President) and promised that when they re-elect Kwabena Sarfo, he, President Kufuor, would be their MP. After the rally, the President’s humble request was the topic of discussion.
In the end, Kwabena Sarfo was re-elected, but despite the President’s plea, he polled 51.9% of valid votes cast. Asantes should not be taken for granted.
I need to bring this up to educate the likes of Atta Akyea and others like him who are NPP members, but are preaching an anti-Akan/Asante leadership in the NPP, just to satisfy their political direction.
The NPP enjoys lots of support from Akans, with the Ashanti Region coming out tops. This region is the only one which has consistently voted NPP since 1992 eight straight times to date. At second place is the Eastern Region with six straight elections for NPP since 2000.
The party cannot do away with Akans, especially Asantes. In 2020, NPP won seven regions out of the sixteen regions, six of them were Akan; six out of the eight Akan-based regions today.
Hon. Samuel Atta Akyea must wise up and stop this anti-Akan campaign in the hope his support for the Northerner, H.E. Bawumia, would materialise with a win in the Presidential Primary.
The fact that campaigning on this line will infuriate most Akans seems lost on Atta Akyea and company. Akans and, in fact, Asantes, need a better message and not this ethnic campaign. Seriously, when Atta Akyea was supporting H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo who is a full-blooded Akan, he saw nothing wrong with that.
Hon. Atta Akyea must stop this sick and irresponsible mode of campaign, because, he is hurting the chances of the man he supports.
Another gentleman, Mr. Fred Oware, who the youth will easily look up to for good advice, also seems carried away by his love and support for H.E. Bawumia from statements he made lately.
His statement that the young can be installed chiefs, and why vote for someone who had only two days to live, is not only irresponsible, but completely out of place.
Dealing with such a statement could make one ask questions which cannot help breed unity in the NPP. He spoke as if he knew next to nothing about our sacred culture, which identifies us as Ghanaians.
Traditionally, the young who is enstooled chief is one known from infancy as destined to be chief one day, and he is called “Daachihene,”or “one who will be chief.”
In the UP Tradition, when one is called Daachihene, people know who to look for. And from Nana Addo’s acceptance speech at the University of Ghana, on December, 2007, when he mentioned his successor, he mentioned Hon Alan Kyerematen as NPP’s Daachihene.
To say that someone had only two days to live is most insensitive and hypocritical. Has he lost respect for the elderly people? Is he in effect saying such people must not be given leadership roles in the NPP? Was he a young man when he contested for the position of National Chairman of the NPP in 2014? Could he say this to the President and Council of Elders of the Party?
Atta Akyea and Fred Oware please keep it clean and decent. The NPP cannot ‘break the eight’, if what people like you speak words that breed confusion and division. NPP needs to learn lessons.
Hon Daniel Dugan
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.
