How Akyems Have Always Kept the UP/Danquah Busia Tradition in Opposition

STANIC FILE Topic: Why NPP Losing 2016 Elections
Date: 12/10/2916

An alliance between Asante and Akyem has always been pivotal in the political arrangements and history of both the Gold Coast and Ghana.

History has it that the Akyems are mafia and have never supported the Akans for any political gains. In the lead up to the 1979 general election, a struggle within the Danquah-Dombo-Busia tradition saw the breakaway and formation of the United National Convention (UNC) headed by Paa Willie, Ofori-Atta.

The Asante faction, the Popular Front Party (PFP), led by Victor Owusu went into the 1979 election already limping and damaged and lost the election as a result. It is alleged that the Asante rump has not forgotten and forgiven the UNC, and by extension Akyems, for this disaster.

Looking at the hooliganism that has engulfed the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in recent times, it is quite obvious that Nana Akufo-Addo intends to repeat the 1979 bitter history of the UP Tradition. For those who might not know, Nana Akufo-Addo’s direct uncle, Mr. William Ofori-Atta (aka Paa Willie) resigned from the Popular Front Party (PFP) to form the United National Convention (UNC) after the latter had been beaten at the PFP primaries by Mr. Victor Owusu. Nana Akufo-Addo was the deputy General Secretary of UNC at the time. During the 1979 election run-off, Mr. William Ofori-Atta and Nana Addo urged all UNC members to vote for Dr. Hilla Liman of the People’s National Party (PNP).

As we all know, the PNP was an offspring of Kwame Nkrumah’s Convention People’s Party (CPP). Eventually, Dr. Hilla Liman beat Victor Owusu to become the president of the 3rd Republic. Mr. William Ofori-Atta was subsequently appointed the Chairman of Council of State by Prez Limann and Nana Akufo-Addo instantly became his uncle’s personal secretary.

When Flt. Lt. Rawlings realised that Paa Willie was dictating to Prez. Limann, he staged the 31st December, 1981 coup d’état.

Therefore, the utterances and primitive actions of Akufo-Addo’s supporters in recent times gives credence to the fact Akufo-Addo is hellbent on repeating his uncle’s history in 1979. For some of us, it is no news because,

– Akufo-Addo’s great grandfather, Dr. J.B. Danquah, in spite of his lead role in the UP Tradition, could not win the presidency in 1960;

– his father, Mr. Edward Akufo-Addo could not protect the presidency as a ceremonial head in 1972;

– his uncle, Paa Willie, divided the front of PFP;

– his fellow Akyem, Prof. Adu Boahen, kept NPP in opposition in 1992, and

– Nana Addo himself set the first record of taking the NPP from government into opposition in 2008. Nana Addo has did his best to keep NPP in another 4-year opposition in 2012, with 47.74% and one and a half regions.

Nana Addo and his family (Akyems) have the history of keeping the UP and the Danquah Busia Tradition in opposition.

Expect another gargantuan defeat of NPP in 2016.

www.facebook.com/stanic