I have been following the on-going debate in a section of the Ghanaian media about the need or the lack of it, to review the provision in the NPP constitution which denies the President, MPs, Ministers DCEs etc., who may be thought of as key members of the party, an automatic right to vote to elect a flag bearer for the party.
The debate is fine. But, for practical purposes, I disagree entirely with any suggestion of an amendment to the provision. I sincerely believe that one of the challenges our Party has faced in the past and would most probably continue to face in the near future is “Image”. Our adversaries try hard to portray us as elitist and/or Akan based. Both of these images are not necessarily complementary, at least, our adversaries do not intend them to be so. Consequently, I see the now controversial provision of the constitution as an opportunity to emphasise the grassroots nature of our party.
Let’s face it, MP’s, Ministers and DCE’s wield a lot of influence and would have their way if they really want to be selected as delegates. To add on top of that, automatic qualification to elect a flag bearer would be putting too much power into their hands. What then would be the power “lies with the people” that we all proclaim in our party? The voting right is probably the only power the people have in the party, which they use to vote the MP’s into power and which they can use to determine whether the MP deserves to stay in power or leaves. To take that power and give it back to the MP, to me, would be a massive raid on the sails of the grassroots.
Again, some members of Parliament, Ministers and DCE’s, as soon as they are in office, never think about the welfare of the party in the constituency. They do not even visit the constituency offices when they happen to be in the constituencies. The voting right is probably the only opportunity for the constituency members of the party to hold the Member of Parliament, Minister or DCE accountable for letting the party rot in the constituency.
Therefore my contention is that rather than campaign for this group of people to get automatic qualification; we ought to challenge them to get nominated as delegates by the local party rank and file to prove that they are indeed still in touch with the people.
If we are building a party in which every voice is equal, or at least, is said to be equal, then it is not an ideal thing to create a “class of peers”. Hence to give the impression that some how or other once you become a Minister, MP or DCE, your voice is more equal than others, or that you know better than the other members of the constituency and therefore should have an automatic right to elect the flag bearer, is akin to advocating the principle of the tax-payer’s suffrage, and that temptation has to be resisted.
I also do not believe that MPs, Ministers and DCEs are exactly less likely to be influenced; by money, may be not. But has anybody ever thought of what the consequences would be if an impartial despotic President takes his telephone and calls all 138 DCE’s, all 70 plus Ministers and Deputies and says, I want Candidate X? I shutter to think of it. Plus, we must keep in mind; rules are made not for good people, but for those who would want to take society for a ride.
So for God’s sake, let the provision stay and let every one go and campaign to be a delegate and let the constituency office notice board read: “No freebies here please!”
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