The New Patriotic Party is undoubtedly one of the best political parties in Africa and across the globe with its unique history dating back to days of Ghana’s fight for independence.

Our tradition has a known line of heroes and heroines who stood firmly in defense of our ideals and values in quite uncomfortable circumstances and times during the reigns of our colonial leaders, democratic civilian governments/dictatorship, and military dictatorships.

As a tradition, we hold in high esteem the toil of the very legends who stood to chat the path that has carried us to this moment.

We adore our history! The signal must be loud and clear that we shall not countenance the calculated agenda to scheme nor attempt to re-write the history of this tradition.

John Boadu’s blasphemous blackmail

At the recent media celebration of the NPP’s 29th anniversary at the party’s headquarters in Asylum Down, we were set aback when the General Secretary of the party, John Boadu, took the stage and callously alter the history of our party.

Not even his frail caveat of not being in the position to mention the names of our heroes unclouded the astonishment of party grassroots and true blue loyalists.

On such a momentous occasion like this to celebrate our heroes no amount of excuse can awash this blatant and well-orchestrated plan to take out names of pillars of this tradition like Appenteng Appiah Menka, Attoh Quashie, Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani, JH Mensah, Dr Kofi Konadu Apreko, Courage Quashigah, Boakye Agyarko, Alan Kyerematen amongst others.

These are household names of the tradition that eyes cannot be blinked on.

John Boadu, when given the platform to speak, maliciously failed to acknowledge these stalwarts of our party to further his narrow agenda-setting political interest.

Is it not interesting that Mr. Boadu managed to smuggle in Dr Mahamadu Bawumia who joined the party in 2008 on condition of becoming a running mate then.

John Boadu again, for the same reason 'erroneously and ignorantly' sneaked in Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia, the father of our sitting Vice President, as one of our heroes whose contributions have brought our tradition this far.

This is unacceptable and an unexpected blasphemous blackmail that we believe, by now, is making Dr Busia, Dr Danquah and Chief Dombo wonder in their graves, whether we have been told the truth or made to read the realities of their times, which saw the biggest betrayal in the history of our tradition by Mumuni Bawumia. Dumbstruck!

Clearly it’s an attempt to find footing for Dr. Bawumia in our tradition. Mr. Boadu, just so you know, you cannot rewrite our party’s history. As discerning members of the party the attempt by John Boadu to “force” and stampede our history with his tainted bias would not be curtailed.

It is mindboggling to come to terms with the fact that John Boadu was able to sideline some of these heroes. From what he did, we are of the firm belief that he intentionally refused to invite some of these stalwarts to such a historic event to enable him pretend to have forgotten the numerous contributions and sacrifices they made to our party.

No amount of open bias can erase the names of these important personalities in the history and forward match of our party.

Alan Kyerematen, for instance, a founding member of NPP who served as a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) from 1992 to the year 2000; founded the Young Executive Forum (YEF) with others in 1992.

This group remained the major financier of NPP in all major elections until we won power in the year 2000. A man who was also the first chairman of the YEF from 1992 to the year 2000 and led the negotiating team for the great alliance in 1996 election and remained a member of NPP strategic team in almost all general elections.

Time and space is never enough to write the countless contributions of Alan Kyerematen.

How could anyone and John Boadu for that matter wink over the ULTIMATE SACRIFICE by Alan Kyerematen at the Legon Congress in the year 2007? It was that very singular act of wisdom and magnanimity which afforded our sitting president his first ever opportunity to lead NPP as a candidate into election 2008, the same ensured a peaceful and united congress at the end and saved our party a great deal of resources as Alan publicly announced his sacred decision to withdraw from a rerun of the presidential primaries in accordance with our constitution.

This malicious act of John Boadu as a General Secretary of our party is very divisive and destructive. It is not befitting and he should have avoided it. John Boadu must rather apologize to these loyalists who through thick and thin stood by the tradition, but deliberately failed to acknowledge.

Mumuni Bawumia ditched this tradition

There is absolutely no reason or justification for acknowledging Mumuni Bawumia on a day like this. He should not be mentioned in any matter concerning the progress of NPP and our Tradition unless in a sarcastic situation and not on that serious platform.

The NPP grassroots and loyalist are well aware of the fact that our Vice President’s father, Alhaji Mumuni evidently chose Dr Kwame Nkrumah and the Convention Peoples Party over our own Dr K. A Busia, Chief Dombo and our tradition after his defection.

He also chose Dr Hilla Liman and the People's National Party over Victor Owusu and our Progress Party, and subsequently chose J.J Rawlings and NDC over Prof Adu Boahen, President J. A Kufour and the New Patriotic Party.

Alhaji Mumuni Bawumia was anti-New Patriotic party tradition. He had at all material times in history, after his defection, distanced himself from our tradition and denied us any support whatsoever.

Mumuni Bawumia cannot be an example for our party youth to emulate. He stabbed the back of Chief Dombo and our tradition and defected to CPP for a ministerial position. He left the Northern Peoples Party and became CPP's Northern Regional minister after John Mahama's father and never returned to our fold. The last position he held was the Chairman of Rawlings’ Council of State under NDC government. A bad example and a threat to our party's future and youth.

Mumuni Bawumia's name was mentioned at our 29th anniversary to justify Bawumia's activities and its related Presidential ambition being carved for him, because it wasn't necessary to include his father's name.

John Boadu must justify why he did that by showing who else on his list was a traitor to NPP and our political tradition.

The most damaging aspect of this blasphemous blackmail by John Boadu is the failure on his part to duly acknowledge the blood and toil of real heroes and heroines of NPP and its tradition. It is forever unimaginable and unpardonable to note that J.H Mensah, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku, Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani, Appenteng Appiah Menka, Attoh Quashie, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Courage Quashiga, Boakye Agyarko and many others were lost on the list while Bawumia and his father got acknowledged.

Is it not out of order for John Boadu to fail woefully to acknowledge his own predecessors such as Sir John, Nana Ohene Ntow, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong who have all served as General Secretary of our great NPP family?

On this occasion, John Boadu can justifiably be cited for contempt by this very unwarranted and unfaithful acknowledgment of Mumuni Bawumia by retracting and apologizing in such a manner that will go as far as his blasphemous blackmail has gone. He needs to do that to restore our common aspirations and promote unity in our family.

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The author, is a member of the NPP's Youth Alliance in Diaspora. You can reach him and other members via the contacts provided.

Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie
+1 (513) 293-6102
USA

Banks Kojo Ofori
+82 10-5943-5219
South Korea

Kojo Kwakye
+1 (614) 809-5861
USA