Thursday 27th August will forever remain one of the saddest days in my life. It was a day I had a brawl with Michael Ampong another NPP activist in the studios of Asempa FM. I wish the incident never happened.
It all started when I responded to the invitation of Asempa to throw more light on a feature I had written after the NPP Constitutional Amendments. I initially turned down the invitation and instead opted to discuss the issue on phone. I was however told another topic to be discussed was 'Why the NDC will be a one term government' and this convinced me since I was much interested in the second topic. At the studios I actually summarised the feature and when it was the turn of Michael Ampong, he accused me of the having a penchant for writing divisive and insulting features.
I came in to explain that features are opinions and their interpretation and analysis are usually left to readers. I also explained it has been my style to be critical of certain issues in NPP so they could be fixed.
I then reminded Ampong that if he says my feature is insulting then he is a worse victim because he once rained naked insults on Nana Akufo Addo.
It will be recalled that Ampong as National Campaign Coordinator for Mr. Alan Kyerematen was reported to have said Ghana will be plunged into chaos should the New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegates consider Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo for the flagbearership slot of the party and eventually elected president.
According to the Chronicle story of 7th December 2007, Ampong said Akufo-Addo was arrogant, temperamental and hot-headed for the number one job of the land, the Presidency, and therefore, it will be suicidal for the NPP to parade him as its presidential candidate.
"We are at risk, if we should elect Nana Akufo-Addo and present him as our candidate" he was reported to have said at 'Hello', a Kumasi based Radio station. He however later denied the Chronicle report.
In the course of my submission, Ampong flared up and used words like "stupid", "idiot", "you are a disgrace to NPP", ”where do you come from" on air. He also used ethnically charged words that are unprintable when we were off air. On top of all these insults, he held my shirt when I decided to leave the Studio. It was at that moment I punched him resulting in the brawl.
I need to clarify the many misconceptions and interpretations to the problem; The issue was not about perceived support for certain leading members in the NPP; It did not happen because we aspire to same position in the party; We were not there to discuss factionalism in the NPP and it did not happen because of pent-feelings from my side.
I have also heard people say I am just seeking attention negatively in the light of my desperation to holding a National office, I wish to say that is totally false and unfounded. What attention do I need after holding so many positions including General Secretary of the National Union of Ghana Student NUGS).
As to my being an NDC mole in NPP, I just laughed it off. I am a thorough-bred NPP boy and my records in NPP are well documented. I come from a staunch Danquah-Busia family. My grandfather Mr Braimah Salifu was a unflinching member of the Northern Peoples Party (NPP) and later the United Party (UP).
My father Alhaji Mahama Salifu, who is a pillar of the Danguah-Busia-Dombo Political Tradition in Gonjaland and Northern Region, served as Youth leader of the Progress Party (PP) from 1969 to 1972. He was commended by K.A. Busia for his hard work and financial support to the PP after the party won the Bole (then Gonja West) seat in 1969. My father later became Leader of the Popular Front Party (PFP) in 1979 and later Chairman, New Patriotic Party (NPP) from 1992 to 2007 and then retiring from active politics as a result of ill-health.
I wish to say that I joined the NPP in its formative stage and have diligently served the party in various capacities. At age seventeen, I was the youngest delegate at the congress that elected the late Professor Albert Adu Boahen Presidential candidate.
I have occupied several positions both in school and outside school for the NPP. I was Secretary-NPP Youth Wing on Campus, TI Ahmadiyya Secondary School-Kumasi and leader NPP Branch on Campus, N.J. Ahmadiyya Teacher Training College Wa. In 2000 I was appointed a member of the Campaign Committee for the Bole-Bamboi Constituency.
After the 2000 election, I became Secretary of NPP for the Bole-Bamboi constituency.
I wish at this juncture to thank all those who have expressed worry over the issue. I have received many mails, calls and have been invited by many people to discuss many issues. I also thank Gabby Asare Otchere Darko for being the first to invite the two us to a meeting to thrash out the problem. At the meeting Michael Ampong agreed he went wrong somewhere and I also agreed I went wrong somewhere. We later apologised to all listeners on that day and all NPP members on the same platform (Asempa) on Friday-a day after the incident.
At an NPP Communication Committee meeting (of which both of us are members) we repeated the same apologies and promised it will never happen again. We also promised to work for the Unity and Cohesion of the NPP and also resolved to channel our energy, fighting spirit and intelligence to fighting the NDC.
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