By King David Nkanbonam, Oti Region
Intra-party elections play monumental roles both in the restructuring of the party for electoral successes and in deepening democracy to strengthen and preserve its core values. However, when desperation for positions sets members to attack one another, the effects are dire, particularly in respect of resolving acrimonies in timely manner to position the party for the general elections.
In view of the above, it is unacceptable for some “key” figures within the party to publicly castigate their main contenders in internal elections or use vulgar language at them.
Regardless of anyone’s position and interest, it is morally unjustifiable for someone like Kwame Baffoe, with the pet name “Abronye to mount political platforms to run someone down and spew lies.
Apart from Abronye drifting from relevant issues to series of character assassinations and personal attacks on his candidate’s main contender, Lawyer Justin Frimpong Kodua (JFK), he also makes some unguarded pronouncements which disparage his owm locus in the party, and question his knowledge of administration and party management as well.
Firstly, he has proven to be primitive and luddite as he does not see any relevance of the digitization of the party’s administration as proposed by Lawyer Justin Frimpong Kodua. This partly explains why the party continuous to face internal wranglings; partly the reason we lost more seats in the 2020 General Elections.
Is it not extremely pathetic for a regional chairman of an elite party such as the NPP to boldly and emphatically rubbish the essence of party ID cards? Abronye buttresses and relates his assertion to the fact that “A man dies and so the renewal and issuance of party ID Cards are of no relevance to governance and administration.” He seems to extol John Boadu for his inability, negligence and/or deliberate refusal to put systems in place to replace and issue new ID Cards to party members and prospective members.
To expose his lies and deceits, he assures delegates that registration for ID Cards commences in August 2022, when John Boabu is retained in office. Abronye ought to have reverence for party delegates! In one breath, he rubbishes the relevance of party ID Cards, and in the other, he promises it is in the pipeline. This is actually an affront to the conscience of the delegates. What kept John Boadu all these years as a General Secretary from implementing measures for that all-important exercise? Abronye continuous believe that deceits and lies are the best weapons and surest means to win political power is antiquated and has no place in the era of “political discernment.” By his argument, he implicates John Boadu’s ignorance of the economic and political benefits of ID cards to party members.
He and those subscribing to his pointless arguments must be brought to the awareness that the application of knowledge, coupled with contemporary understanding of effective communications, and issues affecting party grassroots are the best ways to retain power, but not by ranting. “We can’t continuously resort to the archaic and the ‘Methuselah’ ways of doing things to break the 8 year jinx,” as propounded by Justin Frimpong Kodua.
Truly, the time to rescue the NPP from the doldrums is now or never. John Boadu’s incompetence must have no place in the party’s administration anymore. Where are the men? The likes of J. H. Mensah, Peter Ala Adjetey, Odoi Sykes, Dr. Addo Kuffour, Dr. Konadu Apraku, Dan Botwe, etc. We must rise to the party’s defence from the disaffection created by the mismanagement of its internal affairs.
“Breaking the 8” is not about hatred, self advancement, cronyism and social ties, but rather by a holistic approach to re-energizing the grassroots and the millions of party loyalists who are disappointed due to unmet expectations.
As a party, we need a new face, new person with innovative ideas to “break the 8.”
