‘Chasing the Elephant into the Bush: not suicide politics’

The 2008 Communications Director of the Nana Akufo-Addo, NPP campaign Dr Kobina Arthur Kennedy, has chastised critics in the main opposition party (NPP) who have always described and considered his book ‘Chasing the Elephant into the Bush: The Politics of Complacency’ as controversial and suicidal to the NPP.

According to him, the book teaches lessons to be learnt from the 2008 general elections where the NPP lost power to the then opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for those mistakes the party committed would not be repeated in future elections.

Dr Arthur Kennedy made these remarks during the official launch of his controversial book ‘Chasing the Elephant into the Bush: The Politics of Complacency’ at a ceremony in Accra.
He lamented that the release of the book has attracted verbal attacks from a cross section of his party (NPP) which he described as destructive to his personality.

“I have been branded ad ungrateful and disloyal, others have also decried that the book is nothing but a long political suicide and even dared me that I should not even dream of coming to Ghana to launch the book,” Dr. Kennedy revealed.

The ceremony attracted some prominent dignitaries, including Prof. Frimpong Boateng as the Chairman for the occasion, the former NPP National Chairman, Mr Peter Mac Manu, Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo of the Daily Graphic and Mr Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, director of the Danquah Institute, who happens to be one of the strong critics of the book.

According to him, it is inconsistent for his own party members to defend the right of radio panelist, Nana Darkwa who was recently hauled before a circuit court for expressing his views, but could not understand why the NPP chose to castigate his book which he said was not even read by most of the critics.

He, however, implored members of the party to eschew unnecessary criticisms and take time to read the book before any further comments.

“I therefore advise that the substantive proposals and suggestions in the book should be considered and adhered to in the party’s quest to recapture power in the 2012 election,” noted Dr Arthur Kobina Kennedy.
Launching the book, Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafo indicated that the book will serve as a guide in the nation’s democratic dispensation and entreated politicians to grab a copy.