BY: Dr Abdul-Razak Wuni
This is a moment that demands circumspection from all well-meaning members of our party. The wounds from our 2024 electoral defeat will take time to heal, not because the NDC represents a superior alternative, but because of our own internal misbehaviour. I have often restrained from commenting, believing it unnecessary to join the chorus of rabble-rousers; as the saying goes, an eye for an eye leaves everyone blind. However, there comes a point when the only cure for a festering ailment is a painful surgery.
Neutral observers have long argued that internal discord within the NPP accounted for a significant portion of our defeat. While some of us initially disputed this, we must now eat humble pie and acknowledge this painful truth. Ordinarily, that should be the end of the matter—water under the bridge. Yet, events before, during, and after the elections suggest we are in for a longer, more dangerous haul—a period that threatens the very foundations of our once-enviable political tradition. This crisis is largely orchestrated by individuals who mistakenly believe a person’s geographic origin is a papal license to lead. For one of them, who has been a major destabilizing factor in the post-Kufour era, I will not be wasting time on his misadventure. His ego has effectively been put to where it should belong: Cheddar alone proved that he is an empty shell that was pampered for too long
I will thus focus on Mr. Kennedy Agyepong, the self-acclaimed strongest man in Ghana. His recent crusade, masquerading as a flagbearership campaign, is a thinly veiled effort to dismantle the party from within. Any individual with a sense of history knows that this is a man who should not dream of leading even a local task force. He has insulted every demographic in this country: womanhood in explicit terms on national television, the clergy in derogatory language, and every ethnic group except his own. Even within the NPP, he has spared no one. While many initially dismissed him as a mental case, there is a calculated method to his madness. It is time we made it clear that our restraint is a choice, not a sign of weakness.
No one should be fooled into believing his tribalistic and genocidal outbursts against minority ethnic groups are a genuine attempt to woo Akan voters. He plays the fool, but he is certainly no fool. He has studied our political terrain and understands its cynical rule: the enemy of my enemy is my friend. He knows the NDC is terrified of Dr. Bawumia’s candidacy and will view anyone who antagonizes Bawumia from within the NPP as a temporary ally.
This is where his clever but greedy strategy becomes clear. Kennedy Agyepong has adopted this disruptive persona as a shield. He is seeking insurance against harassment from the NDC administration for the many alleged crimes committed during the NPP’s tenure. We recall his vow to have Mr. Ibrahim Mahama, younger brother of President Mahama, imprisoned. We are aware of the conflict-of-interest cases hanging over him and his wife. And, of course, we all remember his reckless televised remarks that many associate with the murder of journalist Ahmed Suale. These actions make him a prime candidate for investigation and potential incarceration. His “insurance policy” is simple: so long as he is seen as the primary disruptor of a Bawumia 2029 presidency, the NDC may be inclined to look the other way. His motive is not leadership; it is a blend of greed and a desperate need for a personal shield from prosecution.
This leads to a profound irony: a man who constantly prefixes his tirades with “I don’t fear anybody” is, in fact, terrified of the NDC’s scrutiny—the very party he claims he is best positioned to defeat. We have seen his cowardice before. When he was hauled before the Police CID for his infamous “kill all Gas and Ewes” lunacy, he feigned illness, citing blood pressure concerns. The very people he insults later massed up to secure his release.
Let this be a clear message to Ken: his intimidation tactics do not frighten us. His freedom to speak recklessly exists only because others prioritise party unity over confrontation. But he should know that everyone has a breaking point. If he continues on this path of liquidating the party for personal gain, he will soon realize the folly of his actions. The NDC will eventually come for him, regardless of the outcome of our internal primaries. His insurance policy is a temporary, flimsy shield. Everybody knows Ken thrives on blackmail, mounted on foul language. Even his followers from minority groups that he so loathe are not spared his vitriol. He must either return to his senses, or we will have no choice but to meet him on his own terms. I wish him luck with his fake insurance policy. He is going to need it.