In a few days, the New Patriotic Party will converge at Tamale to elect new National Executives to steer the affairs of the party for the next four years. The run-up to this congress has been very interesting, and has provided the aspirants the platform to provide their visions and plans that are capable in ensuring that the party wins the 2016 elections. What is unique about this election, apart from it being devoid of violence, is the quality of the various aspirants. All the aspirants for the various positions have demonstrated their ability to drive the vehicle of the party to electoral victory.
However, as much as the party is hoping to get the best candidates for the respective positions, the position of the chairmanship has to be critically examined. This is because the success or otherwise of the party hinges on the effectiveness of the chairman. If the NPP can win the next general elections, it will to a large extent depend on the ability, experience, and personality of the elected chairman. The party’s ability to choose the most suitable chairman will be a giant step in nearing them towards victory in the 2016 elections. This is the very reason why the delegates—who hold the power in determining the electoral fortunes of the party in the next elections have to look before they leap.
As the campaign enters the last leg, it has become apparent that among the four contestants for the chairmanship slot, the current first vice-chairman, Mr. Fred Oware, is increasingly becoming the people’s choice. Apart from painstaking investigation done, and reliable information received across the length and breadth of the country by the author, the pendulum is likely to swing in favour of Mr. Fred Oware. Although, there is no denying the fact of the various contributions made by all the aspirants towards the development and progress of the party, those of Mr. Oware appear to stand out. According to some of the delegates that I got the opportunity to interact with, although they do appreciate the diverse roles played by the other aspirants, they are fully persuaded that Mr. Fred Oware represents a good omen if the party wants to recapture political power in 2016. They think Mr. Oware is the embodiment of victory, and when given the nod by the delegates, will be able to lead the party to the Jubilee house.
The question I think is cluttering your mind is why are the delegates rooting for Mr. Fred Oware? The following are some of the reasons proffered:
Experience—It appears that his current position as the first vice-chairman is giving him the edge over the other aspirants. The delegates believe that his being the first vice-chairman has offered him enormous experience to lead the party to victory. This experience, coupled with his ability to communicate effectively, especially in some of our local languages set him apart from the others. They are also of the belief that he would be able to use his experience as an accomplished banker and entrepreneur to garner financial resources to strengthen the party’s structures, especially at the grassroots where elections are won.
Ability—The delegates also think that ability is one of the pillars of Mr. Oware. Apart from his profound cognitive abilities, his ability to mobilize both human and material resources to realize given goals is endearing him to most of the delegates. Although they admire him for his impeccable record as the CEO of the Bui dam project—where he was entrusted with about 600 million dollars, they also attest to his resourcefulness in assisting the party at all levels.
Personality—Personality is a defining measure of effective leadership. In fact, it serves as a gateway to leadership, and also fosters effective leadership. Intelligence is important in determining leadership success, but without a sound personality profile, one is bound to fail as a leader. And Mr. Oware’s personality, according to the delegates could attract more voters, especially the floating ones, the youth, and women to the party. We should not forget that without the youth and women, the most resourceful political party cannot win elections anywhere in the world. According to the delegates, he is cool, calm, respects divergent views, rewards commitment and dedication, a team player, and above all puts the interest of his party on the front burner. The personality of Mr. Fred Oware is summed up in his name.
F-------------------Friendly and Forthright
R Respectful and Reasonable
E Eloquent and Exemplary
D Dedicated, Disciplined, and Decisive
O Ordinary and Ordained
W Wise and Witty
A Able and Accessible
R Resourceful and Religious
E Experience and Energetic
You just don’t overlook these qualities when you are looking for the right leader!
Source: Mohammed Iddrisu, Lecturer
