12/04/2016
REPOSITIONING THE NPP FOR VICTORY 2016 – LESSONS OF THE PAST EXIGENCIES OF THE FUTURE
After the painful defeat in 2008, in an election that the NPP should have obviously won, many are those that believe the high ranks of the party had ‘learnt nothing and forgotten nothing’, perhaps because they were content and comfortable with their circumstances.
As a party, the leadership has still not come to the recognition that the NPP is bigger than every individual and her interest paramount.
The very mistakes that accounted for our defeat in 2008 resurfaced in an even more devastating style, rising questions as to whether certain individuals were bigger than the general interest and well being of our great part, the NPP.
One striking question I shedder to ask, are the trusted of Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo really seeking his interest or use his personality as leverage for their selfish parochial interests? Their actions and conduct in the NPP reaffirms the believe of many within the rank and file of the party that the defeat of the NPP can be squarely laid at the door step of those that claim to love Nana Addo and the NPP, not those that seek competition within the party.
The bear fact remains that we had too many hypocrites, charlatans and destructive forces around the flag bearer (NANA ADDO)
As a young loyalist of the NPP and an ardent foot soldier of the party my observations of party functionaries even in opposition tells me there is no hope for me and the teeming youth alike without God fathers to lead the way.
My observations further paint a bleak picture for the future of the NPP, however if only our leadership could just be a little humble , listen and respect the voice of the grassroots, the NPP would have a blistering expansionary prospect.
Many are those that blossom and flourish at the expense of the party in opposition, using the leverage of the NPP to enrich themselves while we linger out of power perpetually. One interesting observation is that the NPP in opposition has become a money making entity for those that should remobilize support to put the NPP back into power.
People getting richer after every election defeat is worrying, BUT motivating for the obvious beneficiaries, which is the reason their conduct anchor the NPP in opposition.
Let me be magnanimous while I ask some very intriguing questions:
- Why is strive for party positions astringent in opposition?
- Where are all the Vehicles that are donated to the party?
- Who monitors the donations of cash and kind to the party?
- Why did we have parallel campaign offices after complains in 2008?
The biggest beneficiaries of this factionalism and power play within the NPP are the greedy and selfish within our ranks, and the villains are obviously the supporters and ultimately the NPP. Often times we accuse the Alan faction of not being active players on the campaign trail, the truth stands and remains that, the few greedy and selfish ones have found a crafty and cunning way of side lining anybody that is perceived as Alan and further pouring bad blood where non exist, the irony remains that these individuals are the heart and soul of Nana Addo.
If politics is about numbers and those that Nana Addo trust seek the well being of the party, why then do they try very hard not to be re conciliatory?
The evidence of Alan supporter being haunted within the party after the Kumasi congress was once more evident that the NPP was heading for dome. The national women organizer who was perceived as Alan was given two untolerating deputies just to gag her down. I posit again, was that extending a hand of friendship and reconciliation? The national organizer was no different. In the regions and constituencies the story is not different
If the NPP believes in competitiveness and democratic tenets, then let those that lead us show the way, for so far this party has been extremely intolerant and aggressive to internal party democracy.
The NPP need to promote consultations, build consensus, facilitate convergence, forge partnerships and engage diverse stakeholders on how to influence party building and be part of broader inclusion of all.
As a youth I will start with the youth wing, in my candid opinion and experience as a youth leader and activist, the NPP youth wing is non functional and has no structure to even begin with. The exuberance of the youth in every party is the life line of mass base politicking, examples being the ANC of South Africa, the CCM of Tanzania, ZANU PF of Zimbabwe and SWAPO of Namibia just to mention a few. All these parties have remained relevant and grassroots driven because their respective youth leagues have structures and are grassroots focused. A mass party like the NPP can only maintain its relevance and impact at the base with a well structured and properly resourced youth wing. The majority of voters in Ghana today are youth and the NPP cannot miss out on this.
The National secretariat of the party must manage the campaign of the NPP candidate, many are those that insist on different campaign offices separate from the party headquarters, just to subsume there elicit greed and selfish interest, shockingly the two time flag bearer have fallen prey to this ploy.
The party headquarters must be the epicenter for all campaign operations to avoid the dissipation of resources and to ensure proper coordination of constituencies and polling station.
The party structures at the constituency level must be the bases of our strength, my observation of the last 10years has established that particular attention have been paid to the centralization of party activities, resources and capacity trainings while paradoxically elections are won at the polling stations. To capture power in 2016, the NPPs core priority must be to reorganize the polling stations and constituencies, build the capacities of executives and polling agents and make sure the relevant resources get to them early. The campaign must be taken to polling stations.
The key to victory 2016 is a united party, selfless and vigilant party functionaries, a coherent and properly coordinated campaign and a motivated mass base.
BENING AHMED
