Dumelo's Address After Rawlings? "Serious Protocol Deficit"...This Is Politics Not Comedy!

Sammy Awuku

National Youth Organizer of the opposition New Patriotic Party, Sammy Awuku has expressed resentments over the NDC protocol during Sunday's campaign launch of the party.

The NDC launched its campaign ahead of the 2016 general elections at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium on Sunday.

The event saw in attendance the President of the Republic and Presidential candidate for the NDC, John Dramani Mahama and his Running Mate, Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, First Lady Lordina Mahama, former President Jerry John Rawlings and various dignitaries of the party as well as celebrities.

During the campaign launch, movie actor John Dumelo, as a part of arrangements for the event, spoke immediately after former President Rawlings had finished addressing the gathering.

Some critics have argued that the NDC breached protocol and further didn't show respect for allowing John Dumelo to come after the former President.

Sammy Awuku also waded into discussions about the NDC's protocol faux pas when he took his turn on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' on Tuesday.

According to him, the ruling party caused a serious deficit in protocol.

To him, Mr. Rawlings' personality as former President of the Republic was sidelined by Dumelo mounting the podium to address the party faithfuls right after the former president spoke.

Sammy Awuku believed the party shouldn't have arranged the programme in such manner, stressing that "this is politics not a display of concert . . . Because if you want to be serious, you have to be serious as a party . . . It shows clearly that they didn’t know what they were about. Strategically, it was a disaster.”

He also raised eyebrows over the absence of the NDC's National Youth Organizer, Sidii Abubakar and Deputy General Secretary Koku Anyidoho.

Sammy Awuku sought to understand why the two gentlemen didn't find themselves on the podium to address the party faithfuls in their respective portfolios.

“There was also a very serious deficit in terms of protocol. The General Secretary came to talk after the Vice President, if I’m right? Yes. And the actor who now leads your youth, John Dumelo, also talked right after the former President. Where do you get this type of arrangement? A party that has been in government – 19 years plus another 8 – 27 years, I just don’t get it.”



Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi /Peacefmonline.com/Ghana