Nana Addo�s Loud Silence Worrying �Can Ghana Trust Him?

Opposition New Patriotic Party 2016 flag bearer, Nana Akufo-Addo’s commitment to a peaceful November polls has been called into question following his deafening silence on inflammatory statements by leading members of his campaign team.

Nana Akufo-Addo has in recent time gained notoriety commenting virtually on every aspect of national life. However, he has astonishingly remained silent on widely condemn incendiary speeches by NPP functionaries, thus questioning his commitment to peace before, during and after the November general elections.

Political watchers in the country are stunned at the failure and/or refusal of the three time NPP flag bearer to publicly rebuke or condemn any member of his party beating war drums or involved in hate speech.

Latest NPP officials caught in the web of unguarded statements include Akufo-Addo’s 2016 campaign Manager, Mr. Peter Mac Manu; former Kumasi Mayor and former MP for Asokwa, Maxwell Kofi Jumah and the garrulous Ashanti regional chairman of the NPP, Mr. Wontumi among other AkufoAddo trusted lieutenants.

While many thought the NPP twice defeated presidential candidate has regretted his reprehensible mantra, “all-die-be-die”, which partly contributed to him losing the last presidential election, the opposite appears to be the case.

As in the run–up to the 2012 elections where big shots of the NPP including, Nana Akufo-Addo himself, threatening mayhem if the result does not favour them, but only ended up disputing the poll results in court. Some leading members of the party have once again started the beating of war drums.

Prominent party officials spearheading this dangerous agenda include Akufo-Addo’s 2016 campaign team chief, Peter Mac Manu, former MP for Asokwa, Maxwell Kofi Jumah; MP for Assin Central, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, and Ashanti regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Bosiako aka Wontumi.

Speaking recently to a group of NPP supporters at Takoradi in the Western, Mr. Manu who was also former NPP national Chairman impudently told them that the party would defy every authority in the country including the Inspector General of Police and the Electoral Commission to declare its own election results.

“In this election, the NPP will also declare our own results,” Mr Mac Manu said amid shouts and cheers from party supporters.

The NPP 2016 campaign Manager added: “...The IGP cannot stop us. Whether you are the Electoral Commission, whether you are a peace or security officer, whether you are a polling agent, whether you are a chief, you cannot stop NPP from declaring results.”

Mac Manu, however, later sought to deny he said so following severe criticism from political opponents and well-meaning Ghanaians. This was also in spite of the fact that his (Mac Manu) voice was captured on tape and is been played by some radio stations and on social media.

Long before Mac Manu’s condemnable comment, another Akufo-Addo aficionado, Mr Kofi Jumah openly declared that his party has devised a strategy code name operation let-the-blood-flow as part of mechanisms to prevent rigging in the upcoming presidential elections.

The former Mayor of Kumasi advised his colleague NPP members to forget about campaigning, printing of t-shirts and be vigilant by employing violent tactics to prevent the ruling government from rigging the elections.

"The NPP will stand firm and match the NDC boot for boot and ensure that the victory for the NPP is achieved. If a thief wants to rob you and you let blood flow to prevent that thief. Why then should this statement be described as a strong and offensive statement? No, it is not," he stated on Accra base Rainbow radio.

His comments came days after the party’s Ashanti regional chairman, Bernard Antwi Bosiako aka Chairman Wontumi stated that he will personally lead attacks on all NDC polling station agents in the Ashanti region, if Social Media is blocked on Election Day.

This was in apparent reaction to suggestions by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kudalor that the administration was likely to shut down social media in the country, if it become necessary.

Following the loud silence of Nana Akufo-Addo and elders of the party in spite of widespread condemnation from well-meaning Ghanaians, self-acclaimed financier of the NPP, Kennedy Agyapong capped the party’s trouble fomenting-agenda with another ‘loose but dangerous’ talk.

The Assin-Donpem born braggart revealed on his radio station, Oman Fm that the NPP has recruited ex-military officials to help them lynch security officials who dare stand in their way on Election Day.

“The security task force’s main agenda is to send six or more task forces to NPP strong holds, hot spots on elections day. And that day we are going to lynch them, if they try it. We have also heard that the security will be snatching ballot boxes and we want to tell them we going to lynch them if they try it,” he boisterously stated.

Surprisingly, the NPP flag bearer, who was expected back home over the weekend after cooling off in UK and Italy, is yet to condemn the statements by these leading figures of his party.

His loud silence is what has caused many to be questioning whether he is committed to ensuring peace during and after the election or he still believes in winning the election “at all cost”, even if that will cost lives.