Why I Diasgree With Ben Ephson

�That �If Alan Kyeremanten Wins Flagbearership, NPP�s Support May Decline� �Dangerous consequences will follow when politicians and rulers forget moral principles.� � Dalai Lama The case of the crises in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is a case of their long series of illegality coming back to haunt them. I said it many time that when you see a person(s), group or platform that lays claim to democracy and yet makes a mockery of it like the NPP does, it�s only a matter of time, its consequence will come back to haunt them. And that is the exact decipher of the political mess NPP is enmeshed in. You see, the problem with NPP is that they have a twisted understanding of the word democracy. Democracy isn�t about forcing your views and wishes down the throat of others; it�s about respecting the views of the majority enough to bow to it. It isn�t about forcing your way out of every situation; it�s about learning to embrace dialogue as a means of conflict resolution. It�s not about flinging insults and talking non-stop on the pages of newspapers, or on radio stations or on television, it�s about sitting down to listen to the yearning of the people. It�s not about suspending and disciplining people who differ from your point of view or challenge the status quo; it�s about having the moral courage to accept criticism and difference of opinion. These are but the many problems the NPP find themselves in, with Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo as their flagbearer. Ben Ephson himself has been a victim of their vile attacks and unsubstantiated allegations. Gabby Asare Otchere Darko, not too long ago accused him of taking money from him to predict Nana Addo to win the 2008 elections. Ben Ephson is quoted on peacefmonline as saying that �If Alan Kyeremanten Wins Flagbearership, NPP�s Support May Decline� in fact it will help this discussion to hear him �Also, touching on the election of a suitable candidate for the party, Ben Ephson advised the NPP not to elect a candidate from any of the two factions (the Akyem faction and Asante faction). He believed the NPP will survive the test of time should the party pitch a neutral candidate for the Presidential slot, come 2016. To him, the election of Alan Kyerematen as potential flagbearer for the party may decline the party�s support base because he seemingly has lost the trust of the members. Providing evidence for his claims, Ben Ephson revealed that after the Supreme Court verdict on Thursday, August 29, 2013; Alan Kyerematen was heckled by the party members, which gives a negative signal about his credibility. �Alan was heckled to statements like �you�re now satisfied, you�ve got your result. Just after the Supreme Court verdict, the leading members went to Nana�s house and this is what happened there�There�s trouble in the NPP.� �If Alan Kyeremateng happens to win the flagbearership slot, for the first time, you may see a decline in the support of people.� I may not be a researcher, in fact am limited in that field, but as a student of history and politics, I would humbly disagree with Ben Ephson on this analysis. I believe and I know Ben Ephson would agree with me that ex-president John Agyekum Kufuor, will surely go down in history as one of Dankwah-Busia-Tradition�s finest leaders. I prefer to call him a radical; not a revolutionary- not just yet. There�s no point expending time and energy comparing him with Joseph Boakye Dankwah, Kofi Abrefa Busia or Victor Owusu � all three lived in different times and answered different calls. But whatever the spectra of opinions of today�s analysts, or the verdict posterity will confer on him, Kufuor�s place is assured in Ghana�s and NPP�s Hall of Fame, Hall of Work and Hall of Change. He brought some energy, innovation and ideas into the way the NPP should conduct itself, but what happened after he left, the hawks threw it into the dust bin. Ex-President Kufuor appeared, not to have stumbled upon the reins of power in a stupor, in a trance or by chance. For all intents and purposes, he came well prepared for the task of governance. Was Nana Addo prepared to take over, except the believe that it was his birthright to be President; it is his claim of inheritance and an ego trip. He was and still is a man of few words, unlike Nana Addo who is an exceptional talker and that means work naturally takes the back seat. What is the state of NPP today? The party is at its lowest ebb, because Nana Addo has decided to surround himself with family members and individuals who are hot headed. Their modus operandi is insult. Even President Kufuor had his fair share of their rudeness and disrespect for Authourity, when he decided to attend the investiture of President John Dramani Mahama. Our late President, John Evans Atta Mills, who was a man of peace, and as the Bible teaches us, two cannot walk together, unless they agree, saw something in Alan Kyerenmanteg that none of us did and especially supporters of the NPP. When he met him in Cape Coast at the Centenary Celebration of Adisadel College, he said that he (Mills) was looking forward to a healthy contest with Alan, unfortunately, Alan failed to get the nod to lead his party. It was not for showmanship, as our late President was not noted for sycophancy, he knew that Alan was the right person for the NPP and Ghana. I remember vividly, although I was not that politically conscious then, when NPP had their congress in 1997 to elect their flagbearer for the 2000 elections, the acrimony between John Kufuor and Nana Addo, was the same, if not intense, as we are only witnessing history repeat itself between him and Alan. Kufour went ahead to win the 2000 and 2004 elections, despite their differences and that of their supporters. Even among siblings, there is jealousy that is simply the way nature works. God himself is a jealous God. I would have been surprised if supporters of Nana Addo would warmly welcome Alan with open arms. So to suggest that the acrimony between the two will dwindle the fortunes of the party, should Alan win, is an analysis that I am finding difficult to comprehend. What legacy would Nana Addo leave with the NPP, except a divided party? If there is anybody, who could unite the party going forward, it is Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten. What Ben Ephson failed to appreciate is that politics all over the world is changing, moderates who do not believe in �patapa� kind of politics. Nana Addo has overstayed his welcome and has outlived his usefulness, Ghana would have a place for him, but not to be President. The NPP need a new face, a new leader, a new character, who respects dissenting views, to be the bedrock of democracy, who does not incite violence by use of phrases such as �all-die-be-die, who will reign his people in who see political opponents as enemies, a leader who will not fight today�s war with yesterday�s strategy and that man is no other than Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten. He has conducted himself well both in public and private life. Akufo Addo�s generation have now become god fathers of politics, it is time for Nana Addo to do same. The NPP have been trapped for eight years under Nana Addo�s web of lies, the party must not walk into yet another web of deceit in 2016. The onus lies on the Delegates, who are going to elect a new leader to awake to the urgency of now and open their eyes enough to recognise who is best suited for their party and Ghana, and I think Alan will do better and possibly deliver them the victory that they so yearn for, as for Nana he is a spendforce.