Ghana’s High Commissioner to Namibia and a former kingpin of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Harruna Attah has alleged that the flagbearer of the NPP, Nana Akufo Addo and two others blasted him for supporting the late Aliu Mahama who was one of the 17 candidates contesting for the party’s 2008 presidential slot in 2007.
According to him, Nana Akufo-Addo vowed that a non-Akan will not lead the NPP.
“Harruna, your support for Aliu was flawed. If you think our party will cede its Akan leadership, you are wrong.” He went on to expatiate on the theme, but with my mind reeling at this blatant and brazen ethnocentricity, nothing else really mattered to me again. When I left, I confided in a few people, mainly family and friends, as witnesses. I received all manner of suggestions on how to handle this “bombshell” and indeed one family member high up in the NPP even suggested that I take it up with President Kufuor. The frightening fundamental message was clear: No non-Akan should dream of leading the NPP as Presidential Candidate” he said in a statement.
Read full statement below
“Ethnocentricity” - President Mahama has a valid point!
There comes a time in a person’s life when as a matter of conscience and fair play, he/she has to take a stand. The time has come for me to take just such a stand on an issue I had prayed and hoped would not come to that.
President Mahama has recently been targeted by all sorts of critics for allegedly making ethnocentric comments in his campaign trip up North.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), which is usually measured in its approach to issues, joined the litany this week with a strangely one-sided statement rudely entitled: “Prez Mahama’s Comments: Ethnocentric, Divisive and Condemnable”.
According to the MFWA, “…while campaigning in the Upper West Region, the President of Ghana and leader of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), His Excellency John Dramani Mahama opted to use very ethnocentric and divisive campaign language. The President, while addressing party supporters in Lawra as part of his campaign tour of the Region, made comments to suggest that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) only “uses northerners” to win power and “dump” them afterwards.”
And if I may ask, what is wrong with that? The President was only stating an obvious and historical fact known to many people with a sound knowledge of Ghana’s politics since Independence.
My relationship with the late Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama (May He Rest In Peace), just like the one I have with President, John Dramani Mahama, cannot be denied. I shared a lot of private moments with the late Vice President and he often poured his laments about the politics of the system to me. It was a privilege I still cherish. He was most gracious in allowing me to also share my own insights with him. He is now dead and gone and whatever he disclosed to me are interred with his bones and my own living memory, but one issue I once brought to his attention, I feel I must now disclose to set the records straight in the memory of this noble man and also defend the name of another noble man, John Dramani Mahama.
After the almost 20 presidential aspirants run against him – as a sitting Vice President – in the NPP primaries for the 2008 Elections, Alhaji Aliu Mahama with much humility, conceded to Nana Akufo-Addo who emerged winner, sort of…
I do recollect very clearly, as if it happened only yesterday, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo invited me to his office at Ridge near the offices of the Electoral Commission. I honoured the invitation, not knowing what to expect. The outcome was one of the most revealing encounters I have ever had with a Ghanaian politician. He raised a number of issues and concluded on my “support” for the late Vice President. On that, this is what he told me.
The words have been indelibly etched on my conscience: “Harruna, your support for Aliu was flawed. If you think our party will cede its Akan leadership, you are wrong.” He went on to expatiate on the theme, but with my mind reeling at this blatant and brazen ethnocentricity, nothing else really mattered to me again. When I left, I confided in a few people, mainly family and friends, as witnesses. I received all manner of suggestions on how to handle this “bombshell” and indeed one family member high up in the NPP even suggested that I take it up with President Kufuor. The frightening fundamental message was clear: No non-Akan should dream of leading the NPP as Presidential Candidate.
Not only that, Mr. Hackman Owusu Agyeman, going beyond Nana Akufo-Addo’s ethnicity, used religion as his anti-Aliu stance. He confronted me in the presence of a witness: “Abdul-Rahman, with a nation of about 70% Christians, do you think it will be fair to have a Muslim President?” He was referring to Alhaji Aliu Mahama, a Muslim. I answered calmly that in all the major hotspots of the world, it is when some groups think they are dominant and go on to marginalize groups they regard as minorities that the minorities also rise up to assert themselves, by whatever means.
Dr. Addo-Kufuor, President Kufuor’s brother had his turn too. At a funeral at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra, he also railed against my “support” for Aliu and threatened that “You are working yourself out of reckoning in any future NPP government.” I replied that history would vindicate me. I could go on and on…
The late Vice President after he was dumped by the NPP took it all with equanimity only occasionally going through heart-breaking introspection.
NPP Presidential Candidate Nana Akufo-Addo’s virulent opposition to an Aliu Presidency was so intense that he once openly tongue lashed me at a dinner party where the host had to come to my defence and his daughter even asked me what I had done to her father…Ironically she asked: “Are you NDC?”
The “Akan leadership” of the NPP is something the Party will have to confront one way or another and hopefully the time would come when it can be ceded, but clearly not now. Nana Akufo-Addo is one of the architects of that doctrine and he is in charge.
These are very delicate times, so the MFWA and others that are jumping into issues without adequate historical perspectives must be even more circumspect about things they publish, than the people they seek to condemn. They must know that their ignorance or perhaps arrogance could be more harmful to our polity than the truth and honesty of those that would hold up the mirror to reflect the reality. President Mahama was only reflecting that reality. It was neither hate speech nor divisive. It was the painful (to those whom the cap fits) truth…
The MFWA, I believe would, in light of the foregoing, use its vast resources to research more into ethnicity in Ghana so as to play the honest arbiter and perhaps also find in its professional heart some room to apologize to President Mahama.
A Harruna Attah,
P.O. Box CT 4910,
Cantonments,
Accra.
[email protected].
November 2016.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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As an undecided voter l think l now know where to pitch camp .Change is all l need now.I hate arrogance and unsubstantiated charges.
I am sad. How can Haruna Atta of all people descend so low as to 'fabricate' such a story to justify the President of Ghana's publicly stated ethno-centricism!!!! Diplomats are knwn to lie for the good of their country, but you have added another meaning to the word: "lying for the good of my tribesman". How sad, how childish, Haruna Atta.
Haruna am so disappointed in you. I used to respect you a lot but it turns out you are the most selfish and ***barred word*** person I have ever seen in this world. Why did you keep it all these years until now. Please show some respect to mother Ghana. Shame on you big time.
Haruna Atta you wanted NPP to make you a PRESIDENT b'cos in Ghana someone like mahama can be president.But why not Haruna Atta?
Yes it may be true that nana said all those things to you but the tructh is that he does not make leaders in the party. Who thought that a black man would the USA one day...yet it happened. I strongly believe that very soon and with emphasis very soon a non Akan would lead the party. Also the view of Nana Addo does not represent the views of the ove 5 million voters that include Northereners, Ewes etc. Sorry your missive cannot change the decision of the people. It has come very late.
THIS NO NEW TO WE THOS WHO KNEW NANA ADDO WELL,THIS MAN IS DIVISIVE,ARROGANT AND AMONG ALL HARDHEARTED FELLOW AND WE WANT TO PLACE THE SAND IN THE BASKET THAT HE HAS NO PORTION IN GHANA POLITICS,HE IS LOSING AND WILL REMAIN A LOSER.ALLAH PUNISHED HIM BY SELLING WHAT HIS FATHER MALICIOUSLY TOOK FROM DR. KWAME NKRUMAH AND NOW THE FAMILY PROPERTIES HAS BEEN SOLD.HE WANT THOSE THINGS BACK AND I PROMISE HIM FROM TODAY TWO WEEKS COME SAME DAY HE WILL CRY LIKE A DOG.JM TOASO.
It is very sad reading through the comments by NPP supporters. Nana Akuffo Addo is alive and why cant he come out and deny all the claims made by Harunna instead of you all judging and insulting him? Who on this planet doesnt know NPP is akan party and if you are not one of them . they will used you and dumped you into a gutter? Folks , lets be serious in this country.Who made tribal politics in this country more than Akuffo Addo and NPP? is a shame
This lie was orchestrated by Haruna atta, Ben Epson, Kwasi Pratt and seriously supported Omane Boama, Felix Kwaakye and Okudjato Ablakwa. Edited by Kofi Adamu Koku Anyidoho,John Mahama and funded by Friends of JDM. SATAN INCARNATES
Haruna, you are a Diplomat and you cannot keep a secret! As you may be aware, your new role requires that you be discreet, quick to listen but slow to speak. I can imagine the tonnes of information you may have, some negative, even about your current boss, the President. I bet in a few years after the NDC leaves power, you'll come out singing like the proverbial canary bird. As individuals, we all have our prejudices! Whiles some are bold and fearless to publicly share theirs like the President has done, others are not. Our President chose the former. Akuffo Addo, Hackman, and Addo Kuffour prefer to keep theirs, confiding only in you, perhaps believing you are or rather were, one of their own. Your article might cause some momentary, negligible disaffection for the NPP, but what you have just done to yourself is to make even members of the NDC very careful in discussing sensitive issues with you. I am a Ga/Damgbe and I have my own tribal/ethnic prejudices but I prefer to keep them to myself.
PEOPLE OF BA, LETS RISE UP BECAUSE AFTER 7TH DEC OUR MONIES WON'T BE PAID. LETS HIT THE SREETS FROM NOW TILL......