Kwame Asare Obeng, widely known as A Plus, has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to issue a public apology to members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
A Plus, a prominent political commentator and staunch critic of Akufo-Addo’s leadership, believes that the president’s tenure has undermined the very principles that once made the NPP a strong and attractive political force in Ghana.
In a recent interview on Accra-based Asempa FM, A Plus asserted that the NPP’s failure in the 2024 election should not be blamed on Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. Rather, he argued that the electorate’s anger was directed at President Akufo-Addo, whose leadership, he said, led to a significant decline in the party’s appeal. “He lost the election because of Akufo-Addo. People voted out of anger for Akufo-Addo, not Bawumia,” A Plus stated, adding that Bawumia’s challenges stemmed from the failures of Akufo-Addo’s leadership.
A Plus criticized Akufo-Addo’s governance, particularly highlighting what he perceived as the president’s failure to make use of available resources for the benefit of the country. “God has provided Akufo-Addo with everything, but he thought taxing the bets of young Ghanaians was the best way to generate revenue for the country,” he said. A Plus also pointed to what he called the president’s mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic, alleging that Akufo-Addo facilitated financial benefits for foreign nationals while imposing additional financial burdens on Ghanaians through the COVID levy.
He further expressed disappointment in Akufo-Addo’s leadership of the NPP, criticizing the party’s current state, especially under regional figures such as Wontumi and Abronye. A Plus suggested that the party’s decline under Akufo-Addo’s leadership made it unattractive to voters, stating that if the NPP does not address its internal issues, it could face further challenges in future elections. “If Ghanaians vote and Nana Addo is not around, the NDC can lose the elections,” he warned.
Reflecting on the 2024 elections, A Plus stressed that the vote was a form of protest against Akufo-Addo’s leadership rather than a rejection of Bawumia’s candidacy. He pointed to widespread public dissatisfaction with Akufo-Addo’s refusal to remove Ken Ofori-Atta, the former finance minister, despite growing calls for his removal. “Akufo-Addo must come out and apologize to the NPP because the party that was given to him has benefited his family,” he said.
In conclusion, A Plus argued that Dr. Bawumia had not done anything wrong but had simply become a scapegoat for the failures of Akufo-Addo’s administration, particularly in relation to the economic challenges faced by the country. “Bawumia’s only problem was his inability to control the exchange rate,” A Plus concluded.
