[ 2016-11-23 ]

Mahama’s ethnocentric campaign wrong – Vicky Bright
Ex-President John Agyekum Kufuor’s former legal
advisor, Vicky Bright, has condemned President
Mahama for what prosecuting his campaign along
tribal lines, saying it could result in disunity.

According to the Executive Secretary of
International Legal Consultancy Services, the
president is the leader of the country and should
not be engaging in conduct that is not
nationalistic.

Her comments come in the wake of comments made by
President Mahama who, campaigning at Lawra, in the
Upper West Region, said: “I pity northerners who
are calling for change,” adding that he felt sad
for the New Patriotic Party’s vice-presidential
candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia – a northerner
– because the NPP will only “use you and dump
you”.

According to Ms Bright, the comments by Mr Mahama
must not be entertained as such conduct does not
exist in modern democracies.

“When Clinton and Trump were coming, you
didn’t hear them saying: ‘I come from Chicago
or Pennsylvania, so vote for me.’ They don’t
do that. I don’t also think Angela Merkel
campaigned based on where she comes from, and when
you come close to our continent, I don’t think
some of those leaders did that,” she said on
Class FM’s Executive Breakfast Show on Tuesday,
November 22.

Asked by the host Prince Minkah whether similar
comments by ex-president John Agyekum Kufuor were
also not based on tribalism, she said even though
ex-President Kufuor is a political figure, “I
don’t think he made that statement when he was
the head of state of the country…”

Former President John Agyekum Kufuor had urged
people of Akropong in the Eastern Region to vote
massively for Nana Akufo-Addo, the New Patriotic
Party’s presidential candidate for this year’s
elections.

“Akropong-Akuapem people are fortunate to have
their own son contesting for the presidency. If we
say we need change, then we have to rally behind
our very own. Wherever the Elephant goes, there is
progress. Be wary of campaign promises and also of
anybody who advises you to vote skirt and blouse.
Vote for both the NPP parliamentary candidate and
Nana Akufo-Addo. The president is the one who sets
policies for parliament to approve, so, don’t be
deceived at all. Vote for the NPP candidate and
Nana Akufo-Addo and you will see development in
your constituency,” Mr Kufuor said.

But Ms Bright maintained that ex-president Kufour
was not the leader of the country neither was he
the flag bearer of any political party. She
indicated that Mr Akufo-Addo, who is Mr Mahama’s
opponent, has not been heard making such
statements.

“It is not ex-president Kufour saying: ‘Vote
for me, I am your child.’ This is President
Mahama going to the North and saying: ‘Vote for
me, I am your son,’ etc. Nobody has heard Nana
Addo saying the people in Eastern Region should
vote for him because he is from there,” she
indicated.

According to the private legal practitioner, the
NPP is “waging a policy-based campaign to lift
us from the corruption now and all the other
things that keep us down and keep us
underdeveloped, adding: “To us (the NPP), what
is important is the plight of Ghanaians.”

Source - Classfmonline

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