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| Obed Asamoah rules out Mills |
12/24/2008 |
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Dr. Obed Yao Asamoah, former National Democratic Congress (NDC) chairman has expressed preference for a Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo presidency as opposed to a Prof. John Evans Atta Mills’ because as he put it the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate has courage for his convictions. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate on the other hand he noted, based on his experience, did certain things in the past as a result of pressure from other quarters or out of fear of offending others.
“I think that a leader should have a courage of his convictions and stand on what he believes is right and do it and not allow himself to be bullied by any forces,” he told Paul Adom-Otchere on a Metro TV programme a few days ago. Giving a thumbs-up to the NPP, he said that in the areas of human rights and fundamental freedoms the performance of the party is admirable adding that “it is an improvement on what happened during our time”. Dr. Asamoah who taught Prof. Mills at the University of Ghana was a one-time National Chairman of the NDC and quit the party under acrimonious circumstances. Touching on macroeconomic management, he pointed out that “the NPP government has done creditably well”. He particularly isolated the stability of the nation for commendation saying that it is something businessmen will appreciate.
During the NDC days he explained that the Cedi was subjected to what for him were wild fluctuations “and I think they have done well and therefore on that performance they deserve to continue”. The election and for that matter the run-off, he pointed out is being fought on the records of the political parties. “Each of the parties is saying, ‘look at our record, look at our performance and judge who has performed better’,” he said. Continuing he debunked the NDC mantra of change explaining that “nobody is saying that they are going to do anything different from what they did before”.
The use of the word “change” Dr. Asamoah said is a misuse of the word because as he explained it is does not really involve any change from the way they have done things before. The NDC’s assumption of the presidency of Ghana, Dr. Obed Asamoah predicted, would spell doom for the Democratic Freedom Party (DFP) of which he is founder.
“We would certainly survive better under Nana Akufo-Addo than under Prof. Mills. Prof. Mills I’m sure would do anything possible to kill our party because the NDC cannot tolerate the existence of our party,” he said. Having known Nana Akufo-Addo from his days as a little boy as he put it, Dr. Asamoah stated that the NPP presidential candidate can do a good job. “I worked in his father’s chambers and when I came back from Britain in 1960 I went to his father’s chambers to do my tutelage. That’s how I knew him. He was a little boy by then. I have over the years interacted with him. He’s affable, he is ready to give in when he sees you have a good point and I think that he can provide a better leadership,” he said. Dr. Obed Asamoah parted ways with the NDC when during a fractious party congress a few years ago in the Eastern Regional capital, Koforiduda, he escaped death by the whiskers at the hands of thugs suspected to have been hired to deal with him and others who were perceived to be against the wishes of party founder, Jerry John Rawlings.
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