Editor-in-chief of the Crusading Guide newspaper says there was an error of judgment on the part of the renowned politician Dr Edward Nasigre Mahama relative to the position taken by the People’s Nation Convention (PNC).
Kweku Baako disagreed with the five-time presidential candidates’ comment about some key persons in the party knowing about his appointment after party’s National Chairman, Bernard Mornah, and General Secretary, Atik Mohammed complained about not being aware.
Contributing to a discussion on the issue on Joy FM/MultiTV’s news analysis programme Newsfile, Saturday, he questioned if the Mr Mornah and Atik Mohammed are not key persons in the party structure.
He argued that Mr Mahama had nothing to lose “if he had dropped hints to the two and the thing doesn’t happen, he won’t be embarrassed since everything is on the quiet.”
“Waiting to be confirmed before calling for a Standing Committee meeting with the party, does not show good leadership.
The 2016 PNC presidential candidate is set to call a party meeting to officially inform them of his appointment by President Akufo-Addo’s to serve in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government as an Ambassador-At-Large.
Dr Mahama told Joy News’ Joseph Ackah-Blay in an interview on Tuesday that he will seek to convince his party that accepting a job from another political party is not the same as betraying his party or its ideology.
The PNC leader is facing internal opposition from party’s Mr Mornah and Mr Atik Mohammed, over the job which they say puts their leader in NPP’s pockets.
Five-time presidential candidate, Edward Nasigre Mahama
“I am not NPP ambassador or PNC ambassador, I am an ambassador for Ghana. My ideology is not PNC my ideology is Ghana”
“I am not joining NPP I am still PNC. In fact, I am the leader of PNC,” he said stressing his post does not mean he is selling out the PNC, but rather selling Ghana to the world.
But Mr Baako said he was surprised by the reaction of the two executives towards embarrassing him.
“I would be surprised if the party takes an extreme action [of expelling him]. They need to call a standing Committee meeting and tell him he is wrong in regarding his action,” Mr Baako said.
According to him, the appointment is commendable, disagreeing with the ideological difference argument between the NPP and PNC by dissidents.
Mr Baako explained that there is not any marked ideological difference in the various political parties when it comes to the country’s foreign policy, which has been followed since Dr Nkrumah’s time.
He also thinks it would be honourable for Mr Mahama to voluntarily step down as leader of the party since he will have the time and space to be doing active politics.
Meanwhile, media practitioner and law lecturer, Yaw Oppong said there was no point in him consulting anyone before accepting the appointment.
He said the President crossing the bridge to invite someone should be welcomed by the PNC rather than being chastised.
All the parties’ policies are the same so the position of the PNC’s approach is not the best.
Ambassador-at-Large erred for not consulting PNC – Baako
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