Political firebrand Dr Nyaho-Nyaho-Tamakloe has stirred the hornet�s nest again; this time within his own party. In probably his most angry public reaction since losing his bid to become the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the former Ambassador to Serbia and Montenegro said from his position as a founder member, he could see the influence and love of money emerging to subvert the ideals of the party.
�Prior to the congress people were given television sets, mobile phone, cloth, rice, oil to come and vote for a particular person; and during the election party officials looked helpless as a candidate shared cash to buy the votes of delegates.�
He described the act as shameful and that when he raised the issue with some party leaders, �their reaction seemed to suggest that this corrupt practice is the new rule by which we must all play the game.�
In the election he referred to, Nyaho came a distant third to Mr Ishmael Ashitey who secured an overwhelming victory with Mr George Isaac Amoo coming second. As far as he was concerned, however, the results of that election were determined by money, the ability to pay and the principle of the highest bidder, claiming, �I can foresee this ugly practice re-emerging at the national congress to mess up our attempt at electing a credible flagbearer for the 2012 election.�
Drawing lessons from the Caribbeans and some countries in Latin America, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe warned that if the party, civil society organisations and Ghanaians in general did not rise up to oppose that trend, a greater danger loomed, where the country would inch close to a point of electing a president on the basis of his/her ability to pay bribes regardless of the source of money. �We should not give the wrong impression to any group of adventurers that we in civil society cannot sustain a system of governance based on free speech, a vibrant and free press and by picking our political leaders on the basis of free conscience and the ballot box.�
In that regard, Nyaho commended members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who had raised similar concerns in their party after their youth congress in Sunyani. The most vocal among them has been Ras Mubarak who stood for the post of national youth organiser but lost. That election was won by Mr Ludwig Hlordze.
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