Come Back PV And Tsikata -NDC Cries Out

In an attempt to prop up its arsenals for the 2004 presidential and parliamentary elections, the nation’s largest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is reported to be toying with the idea of going back for people who had, for one reason or another, left the party.

Mr. Sly Akakpovie, Secretary to the Ashanti regional secretariat of the NDC who gave the hint, observed that a return of the party’s kinsmen, like the biblical prodigal son, would enable the NDC to battle the ruling government in the 2004 elections. According to the NDC regional secretary the party intends to contact and plead with people like Mr. Paul Victor Obeng, former Adviser on Governmental Affairs and un-official Prime Minister of Ghana, during the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), and latter part of the NDC Administrations, to return to the party’s fold.

The others are Mr. Goosie Tandoh, flagbearer of the National Reform Party (NRP) in the 2000 elections, Nana Akwasi Agyeman, former Kumasi Metropolitan assembly (KMA) Chief Executive, and Hon. Kofi Asante, who resigned as NDC Member of Parliament for Amenfi West, recently. According to the NDC secretary, the party also has eyes for people like Capt. Kojo Tsikata (Rtd), former head of national security from the PNDC era to the latter part of the NDC reign. The move, he intimated, is aimed at ensuring reconciliation with those who left the party and the rest who stayed put.

He pointed out that at this crucial moment when the NDC is itching to dislodge the New Patriotic Party (NPP), from power, it cannot sit aloof for those former party functionaries to deprive their mother party of their rich political experiences. The NDC, he noted, is beginning to institute measures that would ensure that the party reconciled with all its former members in order to build a vibrant opposition to the NPP. “Having managed to put our house together, following the wrangles that surfaced in the run-up to our party’s national congress to elect a chairman and a flagbearer for the party, the next move is to bring back those who had left”, he said.

He conceded, however, that some of the party’s defectors were in a way cheated or ill-treated during the discharge of their duties; certain members suffered injustices without due compensation. He reiterated that without the collaborative efforts of those former colleagues, its chances of winning any democratic elections would be difficult, hence the need to canvass for mass support amongst its kith and kin. “Some of them also decided to leave because they were peeved by the conduct of certain leaders of the party,” he declared.

Mr. Akakpovie contended, however, that whatever might have been the cause of the resignations and defection, what is important now is forgiveness, forgetfulness and acceptance by those who feel offended, while the party also assures them that it is prepared to welcome them in the spirit of peace and true reconciliation. However, according to him, currently, the leadership of the party is grappling with genuine tactical methods that could be used to ensure that the objectives of instituting the national reconciliation process are achieved.

Mr. Akakpovie stated that since politics is about a game of numbers, the NDC would not relent in its efforts to employ any means possible to make its decision to invite the deserters a reality. As part of its reconciliation process, Mr. Akakpovie hinted that the NDC would soon launch a house-to-house campaign strategy to extend a hand of friendship and cordiality and forgiveness, promising that the process would be genuine.

“The onerous responsibility in making our mission a reality lies with the leadership of the NDC to forgive anybody who has wronged the party in one way or the other”, he advised.