Ghana’s High Commissioner to Namibia and a former kingpin of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Harruna Attah has alleged that the flagbearer of the NPP, Nana Akufo Addo and two others blasted him for supporting the late Aliu Mahama who was one of the 17 candidates contesting for the party’s 2008 presidential slot in 2007.
According to him, Nana Akufo-Addo vowed that a non-Akan will not lead the NPP.
“Harruna, your support for Aliu was flawed. If you think our party will cede its Akan leadership, you are wrong.” He went on to expatiate on the theme, but with my mind reeling at this blatant and brazen ethnocentricity, nothing else really mattered to me again. When I left, I confided in a few people, mainly family and friends, as witnesses. I received all manner of suggestions on how to handle this “bombshell” and indeed one family member high up in the NPP even suggested that I take it up with President Kufuor. The frightening fundamental message was clear: No non-Akan should dream of leading the NPP as Presidential Candidate” he said in a statement.
Read full statement below
“Ethnocentricity” - President Mahama has a valid point!
There comes a time in a person’s life when as a matter of conscience and fair play, he/she has to take a stand. The time has come for me to take just such a stand on an issue I had prayed and hoped would not come to that.
President Mahama has recently been targeted by all sorts of critics for allegedly making ethnocentric comments in his campaign trip up North.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), which is usually measured in its approach to issues, joined the litany this week with a strangely one-sided statement rudely entitled: “Prez Mahama’s Comments: Ethnocentric, Divisive and Condemnable”.
According to the MFWA, “…while campaigning in the Upper West Region, the President of Ghana and leader of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), His Excellency John Dramani Mahama opted to use very ethnocentric and divisive campaign language. The President, while addressing party supporters in Lawra as part of his campaign tour of the Region, made comments to suggest that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) only “uses northerners” to win power and “dump” them afterwards.”
And if I may ask, what is wrong with that? The President was only stating an obvious and historical fact known to many people with a sound knowledge of Ghana’s politics since Independence.
My relationship with the late Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama (May He Rest In Peace), just like the one I have with President, John Dramani Mahama, cannot be denied. I shared a lot of private moments with the late Vice President and he often poured his laments about the politics of the system to me. It was a privilege I still cherish. He was most gracious in allowing me to also share my own insights with him. He is now dead and gone and whatever he disclosed to me are interred with his bones and my own living memory, but one issue I once brought to his attention, I feel I must now disclose to set the records straight in the memory of this noble man and also defend the name of another noble man, John Dramani Mahama.
After the almost 20 presidential aspirants run against him – as a sitting Vice President – in the NPP primaries for the 2008 Elections, Alhaji Aliu Mahama with much humility, conceded to Nana Akufo-Addo who emerged winner, sort of…
I do recollect very clearly, as if it happened only yesterday, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo invited me to his office at Ridge near the offices of the Electoral Commission. I honoured the invitation, not knowing what to expect. The outcome was one of the most revealing encounters I have ever had with a Ghanaian politician. He raised a number of issues and concluded on my “support” for the late Vice President. On that, this is what he told me.
The words have been indelibly etched on my conscience: “Harruna, your support for Aliu was flawed. If you think our party will cede its Akan leadership, you are wrong.” He went on to expatiate on the theme, but with my mind reeling at this blatant and brazen ethnocentricity, nothing else really mattered to me again. When I left, I confided in a few people, mainly family and friends, as witnesses. I received all manner of suggestions on how to handle this “bombshell” and indeed one family member high up in the NPP even suggested that I take it up with President Kufuor. The frightening fundamental message was clear: No non-Akan should dream of leading the NPP as Presidential Candidate.
Not only that, Mr. Hackman Owusu Agyeman, going beyond Nana Akufo-Addo’s ethnicity, used religion as his anti-Aliu stance. He confronted me in the presence of a witness: “Abdul-Rahman, with a nation of about 70% Christians, do you think it will be fair to have a Muslim President?” He was referring to Alhaji Aliu Mahama, a Muslim. I answered calmly that in all the major hotspots of the world, it is when some groups think they are dominant and go on to marginalize groups they regard as minorities that the minorities also rise up to assert themselves, by whatever means.
Dr. Addo-Kufuor, President Kufuor’s brother had his turn too. At a funeral at the Trade Fair Centre in Accra, he also railed against my “support” for Aliu and threatened that “You are working yourself out of reckoning in any future NPP government.” I replied that history would vindicate me. I could go on and on…
The late Vice President after he was dumped by the NPP took it all with equanimity only occasionally going through heart-breaking introspection.
NPP Presidential Candidate Nana Akufo-Addo’s virulent opposition to an Aliu Presidency was so intense that he once openly tongue lashed me at a dinner party where the host had to come to my defence and his daughter even asked me what I had done to her father…Ironically she asked: “Are you NDC?”
The “Akan leadership” of the NPP is something the Party will have to confront one way or another and hopefully the time would come when it can be ceded, but clearly not now. Nana Akufo-Addo is one of the architects of that doctrine and he is in charge.
These are very delicate times, so the MFWA and others that are jumping into issues without adequate historical perspectives must be even more circumspect about things they publish, than the people they seek to condemn. They must know that their ignorance or perhaps arrogance could be more harmful to our polity than the truth and honesty of those that would hold up the mirror to reflect the reality. President Mahama was only reflecting that reality. It was neither hate speech nor divisive. It was the painful (to those whom the cap fits) truth…
The MFWA, I believe would, in light of the foregoing, use its vast resources to research more into ethnicity in Ghana so as to play the honest arbiter and perhaps also find in its professional heart some room to apologize to President Mahama.
A Harruna Attah,
P.O. Box CT 4910,
Cantonments,
Accra.
[email protected].
November 2016.
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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It was an Akan who over-threw Ex-President Liman's government. Blind liars.
Haruna Atta must go back to school of lies and propaganda school. This whole article is flawed on one basic ground.LIES. As at the time Nana Addo was contesting the 2008 primaries, his office was at Circle not where Haruna is referring to opposite EC office. Haruna needs to lie to save his boss and job. Shame on him.
It is a fact that u akan fuo and your npp hate President Mahama soo much because he is from the north and as well the first gentleman of the land, and there is certainly no doubt about it. It is also a fact that, these akan fuo and their npp fail to appreciate the good works his Excellency the President is doing in this country because of the hatred they have for Northerner's and a northerner been the president. But this their ***barred word*** mentality must stop, because u animals called akans should not even rule me in this country. Some of u even eat feases, lack common sense, lack basic morale, as for your ladies, prostitution every where whether married or single. I fire them tire self, God forgive me. JM Toaso. U can't insult me and again turn to me to vote for u. I support the president when he indeed said he pity his northern brothers who support the npp. JJJJJJMMMMM TTTOOOAAASSSOOO
Haruna cooked this tribal bigotry for Mahama to drop so that he have a solid case to lie about every decent mind in NPP. Any way I am not surprise because that is his contribution to Mahama failed campaign. Haruna why this article now. To discredit NPP or what? You see why we northerners will continue to be inferior. Instead of Huruna staying in his Party to fight the perceived marginalization he has run away and crying wolf.This is not the nature of a proud northerner.I entreat all my northern brothers in the various political stay in their parties to fight the perceived marginalization if there is any and don't behave like Huruna.He has run away for challenges and that is not good people who wants lead.
What happened to integrity in this country? this is not a bombshell, it is even less than the smallest knockout. It will cause no effect in this election. What difference will this propaganda make to the hardships, corruption and incompetence of his paymasters? Change is coming!!!!!
I didnt know that this fuuuuuuulish stomach journalist is a high commissioner to Namibia. So you were part of NPP and because of food you have joined the NDC. You are not a loyal person. Anyway change is coming Haruna and your time is up. so start parking your things from Namibia. Gyimiiiifo)
Didnt NPP dump SD Dombo until they were accused of that tradition before they started a face saving danqua, busia and dombo tradition
Desperation to Equalization to help a brother cover his shame.... We know alll
Were you this Haruna here in 2012? If yes, then what stopped you from coming out with this your so-called bombshell? Aaaaaaaaba!!!! Anyway, too late for your plans to work. A PITY
I used to have respect for Haruna Atta, but did not known he has sold his conscience for a diplomatic appointment to Namibia. Oh Haruna Atta.