Samuel Okudzeto-Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister of Education, has said the manifestation of the observations and some predictions made by Dr Arthur Kennedy, in his book Chasing the Elephant into the Bush: the Politics of Complacency makes him a prophet.
He said after reading Dr Kenedy’s book, which was published after the 2008 elections, he concluded that the NPP needed to heed the advice of the former Presidential aspirant to progress as a party.
Referring to a long passage from Arthur Kennedy’s book, he read:
“Throughout the [2012 Presidential and Parliamentary] campaign, we never agreed on who was the target for our advertising and media campaign. Some favoured the harsh, confrontational, take-no-prisoners approach, while others favoured the moderate, respectful, throw-no-bombs approach that appeals to floating voters, women and apolitical people.
“While the difference was not significant, for instance in billboards, it mattered for instance in those who were put on air and how they came across to the public. Often after an appearance, while independent [minds] were calling to commend me for being reasonable and effective, party big-wigs will complain that ‘you did not go after them hard enough”.
Okudzeto Ablakwa is convinced the preference to confrontational communication is what has landed Sir John into this criminal contempt conviction.
He said until the NPP “changes its ways, the colossal disgrace it suffered this week [on Wednesday at the Supreme Court] would certainly befall them and keep befalling them time and time again.”
The Supreme Court hearing the 2012 Presidential election petition on Wednesday August 14 convicted NPP General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie and a party communicator, Hopeson Adorye, for intentional criminal contempt.
The party’s General Secretary and Mr Adorye were fined GH¢ 5,000 and GH¢ 2,000 respectively for dragging the Judges and the Court’s name into disrepute. They were also asked to retract their contemptuous comments and sign a bond of good behaviour.
However, speaking on Alhaji and Alhaji on Radio Gold on Saturday, Okudzeto-Ablakwa noted Arthur Kennedy on several pages of the book warned the NPP leadership to change their violent and confrontational approach towards politicking but instead he [Arthur Kenedy] was vilified by the entire party.
He said Dr Kennedy, who was then the party communicator, was removed from his post after publishing the book and the NPP members he criticised for their violent behaviour were instead elected into party leadership.
“Nobody can convince me that members of the NPP delegates conference did not know that these were the traits and these were the statements that [Kwadwo Owusu-Afriyie] was noted to be making [before appointing him]”, said Okudzeto-Ablakwa.
According to Okudzeto-Ablakwa the NPP leadership must act to purge its ranks of abusive communicators by first demanding the resignation of the party’s General Secretary – or sack him if he refuses to do so.
Myjoyonline.com
