Was former President Kufour referring to President Akufo-Addo in his viral video?

Before former President John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor left office in 2009, a viral video of him admonished the NPP leadership and membership that the Party should elect a Flagbearer who would be able to unite the NPP Party, traditional leaders, security forces and the nation but not someone with ‘tension’, who would cause the Party defeat after winning power from the people of Ghana.

A begging question to ask is, who was former President Kufour referring to as someone who might have ‘tension’ and could divide the NPP and Ghana in his coded admonishment?

Rumours had it then that Mr. Kufour was rooting for now Independent Presidential candidate of the ‘Butterfly Movement’, Alan Kyeremanteng, who wants to try his presidential luck this upcoming 2024 generation elections instead of supporting Akufo-Addo’s favourite NPP Presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Like many Ghanaians, I am contemplating who former President Kuffour was referring to although the symptoms of what he talked about can be deemed to exist under this regime led by Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Upon assumption of the leadership of the NPP, Akufo Addo’s win saw the sacking of National Chairman, Paul Afoko, General Secretary, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong and second vice chairman of the NPP, Sammy Crabbe in 2015 ahead of the 2016 General elections.

For instance, Mr Kufour talked about holding various groups of leaders including the chiefs but not causing disaffection through undermining them. For now, what are we seeing under Akufo-Addo?

There have been several examples of President Akufo-Addo showing utter disrespect for some traditional leaders by angrily shouting at Chiefs to either stand up to shake his hands or observe the National Anthem.

The latest incidences happened with the Overlord of the Gonjaland, also at the late Alhaji Rashid Bawa's funeral at Kadjebi in the Oti Region as well as in Accra.

As President for the past 7 years, President Akufo-Addo’s style of leadership has sharply divided the country on Party and ethnic lines in my opinion as well as dividing the NPP front with the breakaway of Alan Kyeremanteng to contest as Independent Presidential Candidate for the 2024 general elections.

After the first term of President Akufo-Addo, his second term in 2020 led to the killing of about 8 innocent lives in Techiman South from electoral violence and produced the hung 8^th Parliament due to heavy losses of the NPP MPs.

Additionally, the highly nepotistic regime of President Akufo-Addo has worsened the prevailing corruption phenomenon and partly attributable to high-tech galamsey (HTG) menace. Ghanaians are complaining of general hardships under this Akufo-Addo-Bawumia-led government. Thus, majority of Ghanaian voters are eagerly forward to voting for the NDC and former President Mahama in the upcoming 2024 general elections.

Former President Kufour made the admonishment without mentioning that individual with tension and could give the victory away on a silver platter. The question remains that, was former President Kufour referring to current President Akufo-Addo in his viral video before he left office in 2009?

This question is still inconclusive, and I will like us to ruminate on it as we go into the 2024 general elections. Let’s vote wisely and responsibly as citizens but not as spectators in the upcoming general elections.