If You Want To Be President, Be Tolerant and Unite Your Party – Chief advises Akufo-Addo

A sub Chief of Sefwi-wiawso, Nana Ofori Kusi has yesterday, counseled the twice defeated Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party Nana Akufo-Addo to eschew his inherent intolerance for divergent views within the NPP and begin show leadership which recognizes Unity of diversity, if he indeed wants to become the President of Ghana.

Nana Akufo-Addo who is in the Western Region for a campaign tour was in sefwi-wiaso and its environs after starting his five days tour in the region from Bibiani constituency. Akufo-Addo, who had call on the Chief of Sefwi-wiawso at his palace explained his change message to the chiefs and people of the town present in the palace.

A sub Chief of Sefwi-wiawso who took part in the meeting at the palace with Akufo-Addo and some party stalwart who accompanied him , established that, he has been an ardent admirer of Akufo-Addo for sometime now but has been worried that the astute Lawyer Nana Akufo-Addo has not been successful to climb the seat of Presidency after two failed attempts. The Chief stated “Nana Akufo-Addo, you know the relation between myself and your family dates back from your father. When I was a purchasing officer for COCOBOD in Akropong, he treated me well anytime he came around. However, I have been worried about your failure to ascend the Presidency in 2008 and in 2012 but this time I want to be blunt in my advise to you but don’t get offended. This years elections may be your final attempt to the Presidency. However, several media reports has established your intolerance for other people’s opinion as the cause for the division within the New Patriotic Party and it is worrying. Political party is built with mutual understanding and respect. People join political parties voluntarily and as humans, everyone will want to be treated with respect and some sense of dignity.”

The Chief added that “Even at our local level, we are conscious of divergent opinions and extensive consultation before we arrive at a decision. Accomodating the views of others brings about harmony. Now , my only worry about your party is the apparent disunity and division , it does not augur well at all, for the survival of the party. I hear you have sacked your party’s National Chairman and General Secretary who happens to be the son of late Justice Agyei Agyapong. Daily, all I hear is Akufo-Addo hates Northerners because he has sacked their fellow Northerner who is the National Chairman of NPP. I get worried because the NPP has been battling this stigma for a very long time, however, the persecution and unfair treatment on the National Chairman since the day he picked nomination forms to contest elections to the extent of he facing threats of disqualification to contest the elections in the party and subsequent unfair treatment done against him by you and from your( Akufo-Addo’s) known friends, is invariably said by our people to justify the stigma that ‘Akufo-Addo hates northerners’. Also, some of the reasons deduced for sacking the National Chairman Paul Afoko of NPP are said to be based on disagreements over issues between the two of you… some other people are saying because the National Chairman Paul Afoko of NPP was fighting against corruption within the NPP, Akufo-Addo sacked him. Why should disagreement over issues offend you, Nana Akufo-Addo?”

“My son (referring to Akufo-Addo), do you know our nation has different political parties, different Ethinic groups, different tribal groups, different people’s with different religious background? If you can’t tolerate differences of opinion from a smaller number of Ghanaians in your party, how can you tolerate differences from the vast majority of Ghanaians? If you can’t unite your party, how are you going to unite all these different groups in Ghana? I have heard you are incorruptible, Why then do you sack National Chairman of your party who was fighting corruption from within? Didn’t you know charity begins at home?” The Chief questioned.

The Chief advised Akufo-Addo that, “in spite of the fact that Ghanaians vote on a wider number of issues, Nine (9) out of Ten (10) Ghanaians will vote considering a leader who is tolerant, peaceful, violent-free, and one who is capable of uniting the Nation together. My advice to you is, if you want to be President, begin to show leadership that exudes tolerance, Unite your party -bring all those you have sacked back to the party and that will make your party attractive to even your opponents.” The Chief ended by citing the proverb “Together we rise, Divided we fall”

Nana Akufo-Addo is currently touring the Western Region. He has been to Bibiani, Sefwi-Bekwai, Sefwi-wiawso and others. He has assured the people of the region of each district in the region benefiting one factory should he be elected as the next President of Ghana. Akufo-Addo is expected to climax his tour of the region in Sekondi Takoradi on Sunday, August 14 2016