NDC must not gloat over happenings in NPP – Twum Boafo
The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) cannot afford to be complacent over the wrangling in the camp of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Executive Secretary of the Free Zones Board, Kwadwo Twum Boafo has counseled.
He says even though the situation in the NPP provides ample capital for the 2016 electioneering, members of the NDC should not rest until they have consigned the presidential ambition of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo behind a tombstone.
Twum Boafo who made the remarks on Radio Gold Friday, said all that is happening regarding the leadership struggles in the NPP, marked by the suspension of persons perceived to be opposed to Nana Addo had long been predicted.
The NPP on Thursday handed its General Secretary, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong and 2nd Vice Chairman, Sammy Crabbe indefinite suspensions for alleged misconduct. It followed an earlier suspension of the party’s national chairman, Paul Afoko.
But commenting on the developments, Twum Boafo said he is not surprised. “Well I’m not surprised because as far back as 2014, before the (NPP) presidential primary, Kwesi Pratt predicted on Alhaji and Alhaji, I was on the show with him, that this was going to happen… He predicted exactly how it was going to happen, he predicted that if Nana Addo wins the primary Kwabena Agyapong and Paul Afoko would be removed and this is what has viciously happened”.
According to Twum Boafo, what has happened in the NPP “simply tells us of the character of the man Nana Addo” and the things he is going to do – viciously pursue those he perceives as his enemies should he win the presidential elections in 2016 and this is what Ghanaians should be aware of.
“Most importantly, this is why the NDC should never rest until we … put a tombstone on him politically because if he gets to win an election in Ghana, he would ruthlessly dispatch and dismantle the pillars of our society as we know him, regardless of what the law says, regardless of anything…”
Twum Boafo, who likened Nana Addo’s leadership quest to that of Sierra Leone’s Foday Sankoh, said he fails to understand how one man in a party could do as he pleased while the rest simply look on, afraid either to speak up or let him know they are against what he is doing. “It’s shocking”, he said.
He said the whole brouhaha in the NPP is all about money and corruption, with Nana Addo afraid that Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyepong would reveal the level of corruption he superintends in the NPP.
“That is the real issue. The monies that were paid from the parliamentary aspirants that he wanted access to, that Paul Afoko and Kwabena Agyepong refused to give him access. That is the reason why they opened secret bank accounts in the name of people who should never have been signatories to NPP accounts…”
Twum Boafo maintained that the troubles in the NPP are not just about politics in the NPP but also about the future of politics in Ghana.
“So there should be men in us to speak up now and to speak about the corruption in NPP that Nana Addo foments, the stealing of NPP funds that Nana Addo foments… The fact of the matter is that for me, as an NDC person I’m happy this is going on because I know that it is going to lead directly to the NPP losing 2016. We are watching, but we in the NDC should not relent, we should not become complacent because this has happened. We cannot be complacent. It is very important that the NDC do not take this as a sign for us to be complacent. We are going out there, we are not taking anybody for granted, you can definitely not take these guys for granted because if they win elections, all hell will break loose in Ghana. And Ghanaians would remember the likes of Foday Sankoh who had pursued power in their country at all cost. This is what Nana Addo is going to bequeath to the rest of us if he wins elections, God help us all. And turn out the lights when you are leaving Ghana if Nana Addo wins elections”, he said.
