How the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Could Lose

.... the 2016 Presidential Election?

From precedence, members of this largely populated party are sour losers especially when it comes to issues of General Election in Ghana. From the 1992 days of Kwame Nkrumah/UGCC members to the Aduboahene/Jerry John Rawlings right up to present, their like have demonstrated a frustratively sour demeanor in their defeats. In the beginning of its formation, the NPP was the only party whose target was the elite in the society. Though they succeeded in this feat, however they were far from claiming the seat of Government. The second thing worth noting is that, members of this party do not learn from their past mistakes. They always repeat their past.

Though proven to be incapable/incompetent on issues of development and democratic governance, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a party for the hungry, homeless, and shelterless has had its fair share of the booty in governance. The grass-root organization of NDC is so strong that breaking into its rank and file has been a dream to those who wish to attempt that. The NDC has not exhibited good credibility in issues of good governance and national development but when it comes to winning the ballot, its credibility is undoubted. The party’s strong organizational skill, the ability to whip its grass-root supporters in line, the innate ability to throw a difficult-to-come-by propaganda at its strongest opposition and the party’s uncommon unity of purpose for winning any election are admirable. Today, some loud mouth individuals are quick at shouting how the NDC-led-Mahama administration will lose the 2016 General Election to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) but they have failed to point out how the latter is not ready to take-over the ruins of Government.

If the NPP desires to win the 2016 General Election, it will have to take more than their current behavior so long as opposition work is concerned.

At the moment, there’s confusion about who to lead and who’s a most suitable candidate to contest President John Mahama. This has thrown the party into chaos with some party members calling for a no-contest for Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo Addo and others praying Nana Addo to step down for Allan Kyeremanteng since he’s failed the party on two occasions. As if this is not enough, they have taken this battle to the media smearing each other with allegations upon the other. This is what they did during their flag-bearer-ship contest prior to the 2012 General Election where they labeled Nana Addo with all kinds of tags and later became difficult to rebut them when their fiercest contender was hammering on them. This is why I remarked initially that, the NPP does not learn from its past.

Another potential threat is the attitude of their current elected executives. Paul Afoko and his guys continue to lull themselves to sleep that they are now preparing to take-over the ruins of their party. And yes we understand there are a lot of party properties that could not be accounted by the past administration but must we continue to moan about these lost items? And how long does it take to take-over a party in opposition? Winning a party executive position must not be de-link from winning the 2016 General Election after all that was the reason for their election. The excitement of winning a party executive position has taken a better part of them and this has prevented them from seeing the far-sighted agenda that others are seeing. It’s normal to be crippled by victory especially when it comes to politics. Some of us can attest how we felt when we first won a position either on campus or in a club. However, the threat is that, speed thrills and kills at the same time. Victory thrills and kills initiative at the same time depending on how you go about things. Couple with this is the way the current leaders are carrying themselves and activities in public. Being a party executive should not be confused with arrogance. Paul Afoko, Kwabena Agyapong, Otiko Djaba, Samuel Awuku, and John Boadu etc. should understand that, being in-charge as a leader is distinctively different from showing off in public. Respect for party stalwarts, grass-root supporters and past executives are the surest way to go and not talking to them the way they want. They should remember that, they are in for sometime and like others, they will also fade into far-away memory. There are two things the public remember certain individuals for; the way you talk to them, and the way you don’t talk to them. Their constituents want results and not ambitions from them as some are doing. They should choose a better place in history.

Wrestling power from the NDC however poorly they are performing in Government is one of the hardest things for the NPP to achieve at the moment with the way they carry themselves. It’s no gainsaying that, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is one of the few national parties with a very organic organizational skill.

Kwabena Brako-Powers (Mr.)

Author (Lost Leadership Conscience)