Tribalism and arrogance made NPP lose elections

Editor-in-Chief of the Accra Daily Mail Newspaper believes the self-centeredness and egotism of some leading members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) led to its defeat in the 2012 general elections.

Alhaji Haruna Atta is also of the strong view that rivalry between the Asante and Akyem caucus in the party was a contributory factor to the party’s loss in both the 2008-2012 polls. According to him, that ethnic conflict rivalry cost the party’s 2008 presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the presidential race because the Ashantis in the party did not fully offer him their support.

“I don’t want to be vindicated because the NPP does not want to hear the truth. My assessment is simple; the Akan label in the NPP cannot be shed off for whatever reasons because it is very entrenched. Now it is even very difficult for people from parts of the country to see it (NPP) as a national party,” he observed.

Speaking on Adom FM, the newspaper editor described the ethnic rivalry in the NPP as “problematic” inspired by “arrogance”, pointing out that unity will be the only ingredient for the NPP party to win the 2016 presidential polls.

“This ethnic rivalry is a very big problem in the party. If this is not a problem, the NPP will not have rejected a sitting Vice-President the way they did, it was clearly a problem. They got the chance to push up a certain vice-president who could have won the elections for them.

“…In NPP, part is tribalism and part of it is common, pure and simple arrogance. The arrogance is witnessed both in the party as a whole and reflected in some individuals as well. They have to look at some of these things dispassionately, but instead they will want to attack you when one speaks the truth…NPP should listen because the country is moving forward and there is no time for political immaturity,” he opined.