Opinions of Friday, 18 December 2009
Columnist: The Royal Enoch
Politics is not a gentleman's sport. It has never been and never would be. Politics is a dirty game full of allies and traitors. Those who mistakingly go into politics to make friends-sooner or later discover that there are none in politics. All political parties are manipulative. They say one thing to garner votes, but fulfilling it is something else. In fact, politics was never intended to be a problem solver. It was only intended to address socio-economic issues without offering any tangible solutions to them. Then again, a doctor is only there to prescribe medication to his/her patient/s. A doctor is not a healer.
As you all already know, I am a staunch supporter of the ruling party. I am not afraid to criticize this party. Then again, why should I? It's my fervent believe that constructive criticism should not be absent in politics. Pampering could only lead to self-deceit. Hence, the reason to avoid it at all times. Mr Rawlings has taught me that the only way to be held in high respect is to say what's on one's mind. Some people would be offended by it, and others would learn from it. Bravery isn't reserved for cowards, but rather for the brave in heart. Those who are characterized with bravery do call a spade a spade. And if the spade gets upset for being called a spade-then so be it. After all, one doesn't lose for telling the truth.
I recently penned an article, in which I called the NPP an arrogant party. Furthermore, I accused the NPP party of being full of tribalism. Mind you, the article was not intended to denigrate the NPP party. My intention was to state the obvious. Everybody knows that the NPP party is not exactly what's cooked up to be. The NPP party has a mask, which it wears during elections to hide its true face from the voting public. They know in their heart of hearts that they are fooling everybody. The NPP party would like you and I to believe that anybody, irrespective of tribe, could be its flag-bearer. However, they don't believe it themselves-let alone allow to happen. So what does this say to you all? if I may ask. Please do read the following statement from a staunch supporter of the NPP party.
"I will always side with the NPP party. But the question is; after Kufuor's presidential terms ended-why didn't he throw his weight behind his veep? In any democracy, when a sitting president ends his/her term in office, his/her party normally throws both its resources and support behind its veep-unless the veep declines to contest the election. During the last presidential election in Ghana, the NPP party did the unthinkable by opening up primaries, when the party knew too well that Aliu Mahama was the next to hold the party's mantle. This act is a blatant exhibition of intolerance on the part of the NPP party.
Moreover, opening up primaries to contest the flag-bearer does indeed cast a slur on Aliu Mahama as someone, who is unfit to lead the NPP party-let alone the nation. The Northerners cannot be used and dumped just like that, especially when it is their turn to lead. Are they not part of us? Perhaps the NPP party could've won the last presidential election-had they united fully behind Aliu Mahama, but they didn't. Aliu Mahama was sadly rejected for Nana Akufo-Addo. And the question is; why did the NPP party do this to Aliu Mahama?"