Contrary to speculations that violence would be visited on Dr Arthur Kobina Kennedy if he dared attend the NPP Delegates’ Conference, the controversial author was in Kumasi and received hugs, applause and yes, he made money. He initially said he was not going to be at the Kumasi conference - a decision some thought was borne out of fear for his safety. But he changed his mind and made a surprise appearance at the conference to elect leaders for the party. He sold over 500 copies of his “Chasing the Elephant into the Bush – the politics of complacency” – a book which before its launch attracted a huge flak from party bigwigs and supporters alike. Dr Kennedy was described by some party bigwigs as a traitor who needlessly washed the party’s dirty linen in public. The New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Adansi-Asokwa, K.T. Hammond, insisted Arthur Kennedy had betrayed the trust of his close associates and that the decision by the Head of Communications of the Akufo-Addo campaign team during elections 2008 to divulge discussions held in confidence with top party gurus was cheap. Despite this vitriol, however, Arthur K. said he received a big hug from the vociferous MP at the congress ground at the weekend. Speaking to Joy News from his US base, the medical doctor-turned-politician said he was “very, very pleasantly surprised at the warmth. Many, many people walked up to me, shook my hand and thanked me for doing this for the party. Ordinary members of the party understand that and even quite a lot of the senior members came up to me and congratulated me, too,” for doing an honest discussion of what cost the NPP the last elections in the book. He said the development at the congress confirms what had already been known, that the media sometimes exaggerates things, and that the common people are far more perceptive than they are normally credited with. He contended that ordinary NPP supporters were unanimous in their endorsement of his book which made an analysis of why the party lost power to the National Democratic Congress in the 2008 elections. Arthur K. believes the ordinary party supporters will draw attention to the issues he raised in the book which coincides with what he intended the book to do. The book was launched late last month and the immediate past Chairman of the NPP, Peter Mac Manu, hailed the book as a novelty in Ghanaian politics. Story by Fiifi Koomson and Malik Abass Daabu/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana