NDC Parliamentary primaries

NDC should elect parliamentary candidates in 2016

In the midst of “dumsor dumsor” and other economic challenges facing the country, it would be advisable for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to elect its Parliamentary candidates for the 2016 general elections in 2016.

For now the nation is in a great crisis in terms of non-functioning electricity, high fuel prices, weak economy, weak cedi against major foreign currencies, poor infrastructural development, among others.

We do not need an angel to come down from heaven to tell us that Ghana is in crisis.

As the party in charge of governance, it is imperative for the NDC as a party and government to concentrate and solve the current problems facing the country, especially the energy (dumsor-dumsor) crisis.

This year, the NDC must marshal all available human resources, experts, and advisors in the energy sector to find a lasting solution to this gargantuan crisis instead of wasting the time to hold primaries to select its parliamentary candidates for the 2016 general elections which is about two years away.

Electing parliamentary candidates this year will definitely be a negative venture to the governance of the country at this crucial moment by the ruling party when President Mahama is struggling to put smiles back to the faces of Ghanaians by providing the people with constant and sustainable electricity.

Employers can no longer guarantee job security for their employees; small and medium scale entrepreneurs are struggling to break even with their investments; government and private institutions are under the barrage huge debts; students cannot get access to constant electricity to study; etc, etc, etc. Everywhere you pass, generators are crying “bagabagabagabagabagabaga”.

The Minister of Power has assured Ghanaians that the energy problem would be solved by the end of this year, so this is not the year for internal political wrangling.

It is evidently clear that all is not well at the presidency, especially with the exit of the Chief of Staff and the Communication Advisor to the President, and other alleged anticipated resignations from the seat of government.

Again, all over the country, in the regions, and constituencies the center is not holding for the NDC. Before the party’s national delegates’ congress in Kumasi last December, there were some cracks within some regional, and constituency branches of the party, and even after the congress, there are still some lingering problems within the party at the grassroots level. All these problems must be resolved before the NDC considers holding primaries to elect its parliamentary candidates for the 2016 general elections.

It would be appropriate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to organize its parliamentary primaries in March or April, 2016 in orphan constituencies, that is, constituencies with no sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), and then in May or June, 2016 in constituencies with sitting MPs.

Six months in politics is long enough for any meaningful, well established, and serious political party like the NDC to strategize and campaign well to win elections. After all, President John Mahama won the 2012 election with less than four months of campaigning.

The NDC must note that the ability of the party to win the December, 2016 general elections will depend largely on how the myriad of problems facing the nation is solved by the government.

Without the NDC government solving these problems, the party should forget about the December, 2016 general elections, because there is no way it can win the elections. The party can easily win in its strongholds (World Bank), but the swing constituencies and floating voters will determine its fate.

If voters in the swing constituencies and floating voters all over the country are not satisfied with the performance of the NDC government by the first quarter of next year, 2016, then the NDC is doomed.

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has no problem organizing early parliamentary primaries because the party has no stewardship to account to Ghanaians, but that is not a guarantee that NPP can win the 2016 general elections hands down.

Ghanaians are frustrated. They need results and solutions in this year, 2015, not NDC parliamentary primaries.

By Ghana Politico