Gapping NPP volcano, George Boateng’s bellydance

Ordinarily, what is happening in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is an internal party matter – that had been my thought initially. In fact, I had wondered how the media particularly could spend hours and spaces on the current brouhaha in the party at the expense of discussing social and economic problems facing the country.

But when it is realised that for close to about a year after electing the party’s officials, it can still not get a hold on internal wrangling within it, then it no longer becomes a party matter but a national one since it is the biggest opposition party in the country.

Opposition

Until it came to power in 2001, it is said that the NPP had stayed in opposition for close to 30 years. It experienced eight years of democratic rule after hibernation and so one would have expected that a party which prides itself on its democratic credentials, coupled with the exemplary leadership of President John Kufuor during his time at the helm of affairs, it was quite hungry to get back into power and continue from where it left off.

In fact, before the election of the current party officials and executives, the party had a lot of goodwill and support going their way.

There was an avalanche of corruption scandals, issues to do with health insurance, school feeding, housing, GYEEDA etc .

At the time the party was in a position to offer criticisms that in a way steered the country away from rough waters. Now, it is not in the position to play that meaningful role and the country is poorer for it.

A look inside

In the period leading to the election of its national executives and other party officials, there was a lot of talk essentially pointing to two major camps within the party. I had thought the NPP would have taken those reports seriously even though unsubstantiated in order to remove doubts from people’s minds. I had cause some time ago to caution in a piece in this column that it was important for the party to give ear to people who feel sidelined, maligned or impugned to have their voices heard in order to create the avenue for unity.

As it is, things were allowed to go on as if all was well when indeed the opposite was the case.

The NPP would have to undertake an introspective look, ask all the hard questions and be determined to bury the hatchet whatever the case.

There are barely 14 months left for elections in 2016, and unless the party is only in for the fanfare, there must be no time allowed for factional ‘games’, if you like.

The flag bearer of the party is in flight on a tour dubbed ‘Rise and Build’ and would need the support of the party’s rank and file and officials all combined to make the party’s salvation story stand with the masses.

Drama

A lot of things happen in politics. There are some that are serious like what is happening within the NPP and those that are best described as ridiculous or confused situations such as what is currently taking place in the National Democratic Congress (NDC). One George Boateng decides to give the democracy in the party’s nomenclature meaning by contesting the sitting President, Mr John Mahama.

As we all know, democracy thrives on the contest of ideas. But executives of the party would not hear of it and would not want the president contested.

In fact, it would have gone well for ‘Uncle George’ in spite of opposition he faced, if he had not made certain puerile statements like making Nana Akufo-Addo of the NPP or NDP’s Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings his running mate as well as his decision to legalise the export of marijuana when he became president.

It showed straight away that he was not to be taken serious. But it has never struck me that he is mad as some adherents of the party would want us believe.

What I find hard to swallow though is that the man paid money for the presidential nomination forms he picked, and if that was a draft as we are being made to understand, it stands to reason that his money is refunded.

It is also a surprise that the NDC is making a whole show out of George’s intention. The man would be no match for the President. That is what the gurus in the party are saying and yet they would not allow him to contest.

The whole set-up is an interesting respite after so much hard politics lately.