NPP Flagbearership Race

NEWS COMMENTARY ON THE NPP FLAGBEARERSHIP RACE

 
The NPP seems to be biting more than it  can chew following the
opening of nominations for the flag bearership of the party for the 2016 general election.  

Seven people including the 2012 flag bearer of the party, Nana Akufo Addo have so far picked nomination forms.  The others are Alan Kyeremanteng who has contested for two consecutive
times already.  Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku who has contested once. MP for Mampong Francis Addai Nimoh, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joe Ghartey, MP for Asuogyaman, Kofi Osei Ameyaw and Former Information Minister Stephen Asamoah Boateng are entering the race for the first
time. 

All of them have paid a deposit of 10 thousand Ghana cedis and
will pay another 75 thousand Ghana cedis should they summit their forms by the July Seven deadline. A special Electoral college will subsequently be convened to prune the number down to five.  

According to the NPP revised constitution , only five candidates are allowed to
contest the party's Presidential primaries. This is perhaps as a
result of lessons learnt when in 2007,  17 candidates contested and
the repercussions it brought on the party. 

It is apparent the NPP sees victory in the 2016 general election a foregone conclusion, looking at challenges confronting the NDC as a government.  This has prompted  a mad rush by NPP faithful to contest the Presidency on the party's ticket; but this could be an illusion or hallucination. Whatever it is, there is the need for the NPP to put its house in order lest it
will see the proverbial Canaan but will never reach there. All things being equal, it is believed the race will be a re-run of the 2007 and
2011 primaries between Nana Akufo and Alan Kyeremanteng,  who was a
Trade Minister in the Kufuor regime.  

This makes it imperative for the
others to put their weight behind any of the two, rather  than to go
and waste precious 85 thousand Ghana cedis as filing fees  to contest.

This will help minimise possible cracks and disunity on the party's
front.  We agree it is everybody's democratic right to contest positions in the party, but if this is done without discretion, it could spell doom for the party,  for too many cooks they say spoils the broth.  

It is prudent for the NPP to find out the source of funding of its stalwarts filing to vie for the Presidential slot. It is unimaginable, a whooping seven candidates are trying to file their papers when the fees are pegged at 85 thousand cedis. 

This indeed raises eyebrows. 85 thousand Ghana cedis in Ghana's present economy is quite huge and we do not want people to go outside the shores of the
country to raise money to fund political activities. At the end of the day it is the country that will suffer.  Suggestions by the nine Regional Chairmen of the party for early congress to enable the party to sort itself out after the congress even though viable is undemocratic. 

It will help the few known ones,  but will end up disadvantaging the new ones.  The party's constitution must be a reference point.  The NPP constitution mandates the party when in opposition to open nomination six months before a Presidential primary and two years before a general election.  The constitution is sacred and must be respected.  

It is good the party is convening a National Council meeting to untie the knotty points.  The National Council is the second highest decision-making body apart from congress.  The NPP
must hasten slowly and allow things to take their natural course.  

Any attempt to skew the political processes to suit a few candidates will not augur well for the party.  For what affects all must be decided by all.

BY JUSTICE MINGLE, A JOURNALIST.