As earlier reported “Some ‘creative’ (or mischievous?) minds have appropriated the reputation of recent World Cup psychic Octopus Paul to predict the victory for Alan Kyerematen in the NPP’s upcoming congress. The image has become increasingly parsimonious on various sites. Paul the Octopus is a common octopus living in a tank at a Sea Life Centre in Oberhausen , Germany. Octopus Paul became internationally famous for correctly predicting the outcome of seven (7) matches of the World Cup in South Africa this year and also correctly predicting the final, of which Spain won over Netherlands. As he felt betrayed by the party’s “Elephant” on 22nd December 2008, Alan “Handsome” Kyerematen has now masterfully pitched camp with Octopus Paul to salt his campaign, with the hope that he emerges as the flag bearer when the party goes to congress on August 7th. He is not a true believer. As a renowned businessman, thinking of grabbing an opportunity without sensing the relative culture of your organization makes you a myopic, incompetent and visionless. Surprisingly Alan is no longer having faith in the party’s “Elephant”, as he and his political comrades are now more reliant upon Octopus Paul. This shameful plagiarism is an absurd political strategy with no sense of manifestation in the end. Imitation is a functional equivalent of defeat. More so, it is easier to square the circle than get round a mathematician. How could Alan Kyerematen engage in such bungee jumping without a rope? Is it a political mistake, or a message, as he becomes too nuts to win? I wonder if he can walk me through this stimulus tactics, and perhaps disabuse me of any notion I might have along this line. He is too wrapped up in his presidential ambition. I will remind him of the myth of Icarus, “He keeps his distance”. He is into politics but lacks the basics, he does not know what he does not know. Never undertake anything unless you have the heart to ask Heaven’s blessing on your undertaking! This stunning revelation brings us to the level of party faithfulness and patriotism. How could he be proud of elbowing our ever dependable “Elephant”, which is our supreme value and bedrock for octopus? If an octopus has now been chosen at the expense of the party’s elephant, no doubt if they get the chance, they will as well change the party’s core colours from the RED, WHITE & BLUE to ORANGE, WHITE & GREEN, as it is shown in the image. As it is clearly created and publicized in disguise. “A picture is worth a thousand of words!” But, it will earn him NO hit. As publicly as the image goes round the social networking site, Facebook and possibly other areas of publicity as well, it is an obvious indication that, Alan and his few people within our fraternity are excited. This sinister attempt has undoubtedly added a false sound bite to his political campaign. Alan lacks simple facts and anecdotes to market his political aspiration. This will in no way earn him a field day but rather result in an ugly defeat. There is no perfectly epicurean corner; there is no perfectly irresponsible place in our party. A great party, our founding fathers have made for us with sweat and carefulness. But he should be glad to know that, the net-maker did not make the hammock in a fit of divine carelessness. Any man can call spirits from the “vasty deed”………… but will they come when you do actually call for them? I will take this opportunity to remind the political shaman of Alan, who is invoking Octopus Paul’s prediction to revisit the symbolic root of our great party. This cheap publicity will not wash, come August 7th. Historical victory will one more time repeat itself. We the dyed-in-the-wool of the Danquah Busia and Dombo, in the blessed memory fraternity, do not and will never in any way associate ourselves and the renowned and respectable party with any other animal or object apart from the “Great Elephant”. Whether it rain or shine, we the true patriots will be guided by the party’s tradition and legacy, which our founding fathers left us. And we will continue to be on the right side of history. This is a clear indication that if due diligence is not taken, Alan and his minute group of people may change the party’s traditional symbol, core colour, and rewrite the history of the party etc, should the party mistakenly fall into their hands. There are certain people who so ardently and passionately desire a thing, that from dread of losing it they leave nothing undone to make them lose it. History indicates that at a point he disowned the party publicly. So, his loyalty to our noble party is highly questionable. No doubt Alan will send our great party to the Sea Life Aquarium, Oberhausen in Germany, if he gets the mandate, instead of battling the incumbent NDC. He has tried and tested waters on his chances of winning across the length and breadth of the country, but the only name that remains on people’s lips is “Nana”. This eleventh hour political strategy will not in any way earn him the expected results. The presidential primary is largely a symbolic exercise, interesting but inconclusive for “candidates” loyalty and competence. Delegates are looking for someone who truly believes in the cause of the party,-one who is ready to work assiduously to recapture the political power from the inept NDC government. Alan’s current inclination to Octopus Paul is a snapshot of his readiness to gamble with the party’s effort to win 2012 elections. Being associated with the octopus’ luck, tells the world that he is not up to task. We are not going to unseat President Mills and his incompetent government on mere luck, but rather through the dint of hard work, determination, loyalty and commitment. Alan’s sense of seriousness and purposefulness is in question. He who desires but acts not, breeds pestilence. He who brings peace to His Universe brings peace to us, and to Israel –the book of Hebrew. Alan Kyeremateng and his cohorts are confused to the point of holding boff press conference, with his failed Stephen Ntim going haywire and crying like a little baby on public radio. Their gross and childish bellyaching should better be channelled to their newly found Octopus Paul. Their shout for help in the night, is waking neighbours up. Now, if you do not have confidence in the party’ s constitutionally mandated leadership, whom the delegates elected in the spirit of patriotism, then it sends a signal of no-confidence in these same delegates, who will be voting on August 7th. All this surmounts to a calculated move to chicken-out one more from the party IF they lose the flagbearership race. Wherever they may happen to turn, whatever they may undertake, they will always end up by returning to that path which political nature marked out for them. As they break their hearts, we the men in the party will still go on as before. The party was too lenient on putting a lid on his “u-turn move through the backdoor” story. The truth was generally seen, rarely heard. Are we sworn to secrecy not to make it discussible? His political slogan-"job for the people, cash for people"- is mere beer talking slogan in our modern politics. We the loyal and leg-working youth of the NPP party do respect the Elephant symbol of the party and the blessings that come with it. We strongly believe in our party’s tradition and its core symbols. And, under no circumstance, will we swap any of the party’s symbols, its relations with any other thing or image, as Alan Kyeremateng and his camp have proudly demonstrated. How could they easily forget the party’s supreme saying “OSONO AKYI, ABOA BIARA NI HO”, which literally means “there is not any other animal after the elephant!”. At this point, I want to know if Alan, and his political shaman, both imagine themselves to be more intelligent than our founding fathers, and wiser than the delegates, and the young followers, to trade our “Great Elephant” for an “Octopus”? Alan should better know that, if he goes expressly to look at the moon, it will become tinsel. As NPP’s “Great Elephant” needs someone to lead, knows who he wants; Alan has no idea, or whatsoever. There is only one particular person the “Elephant” wishes well and only wish that he could wish better. Whatever Alan is intended to do, he is not intended to succeed: failure is the fate allotted. As he yields to the octopus taste, the delegates will yield to the taste of the elephant. The bookmakers have written the “Octopus” off. This mantra cannot in anyway lull the people’s support for the rightful candidate who has successfully stood the test of time. This cheap tactics cannot steal for Alan the political centre. The good delegates are not oblivious of your past demeanor which has fractured the confidence they used to have in you. The era of “Alan Cash” is over. He lacks cards to play the game. He is short of the right mechanics to lead the party to victory. This hoof beat will not stick. The “Elephant” is more impregnable than the Octopus Paul. According to party insiders, the political codgers of the NPP party have been prescient that, Alan is NOT going to make it on 7th August. He lacks the requisite energy to fully engage in the political gamesmanship as the NDC is in power. His achingly laconic campaign promises cannot earn him victory. By Jerry Amponsah, New York, USA