NPP Primaries : What the delegates have taught us

With the successful organisation of a historic parliamentary primaries under COVID-19, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), has demonstrated their readiness for election 2020 Parliamentary and Presidential elections. Many lost and many won. Like anything under the sun, I believe we can learn some lessons from this event of our national life.

I love delegates. Even though they may be influenced, they decide who to vote for and who not to vote for. Let's take a look at some lessons in detail.

#1. Saying you will win doesn't mean you will win

If you confess with your mouth that the ‘gods’ have promised that you will become an MP it does not mean you will win. Talk alone doesn't make you an MP. If so, all of us would have been MPs.

People can talk on radio, hold meetings, share flyers, do billboards, and ultimately declare that they will win hands down, but all these are forms of marketing yourself that does not necessarily amount to winning a primary to become a party candidate. Talk is the first step to making a commitment to win. The delegates will decide.

We can learn from this that talking alone is not final. We must take the necessary actions to actualize our confessions. You can have all the big dreams, big goals, strategies, people and plans but without corresponding actions, there will be no desired results.

In the 90s, the government of Ghana developed ‘Ghana Vision 2020’ with the aim of “raising Ghana into the ranks of the middle-income countries of the world”. Very little has become of the vision in reality because we dreamt without putting in the necessary political actions.

In my podcast titled 'Start & Stay Strong – Activities', I stated that “The most compelling dream on earth cannot succeed under the regime of inactivity.” Again, Og Mandino in the Ten Scrolls audio said that, “My dreams are worthless, my plans are dust, my goals are impossible. All are of no value unless they are followed by action.”

If a person will win a party candidature, he or she must not only say it but also put in all the action needed. Mark the same way, if you want to rise through the ranks of your work, you must not only talk but act to realise your plans. The delegates have taught us to say it and work it.

#2. The result is always on the ground

The second major lesson that the delegates have taught us is to know that the result is on the ground. Many contested but few won. Few were ready to work on the ground. If you should ask those who contested, they will tell you that they did all they could. They shared money, they advertised, they visited homes, they held meetings, they shared items, they called people and they literally fed people but still it was not enough to meet the target. Delegates have taught us that if you want to win, be on the ground. People like to be treated special.

The reason why the presidency has Ministers, MCEs, and DCEs is because of ground work. They are his legs, hands, ears, and eyes. They are on the ground. They work to make the dream real. A failure of government is due to failure of ground people. Effective ground work manifest massive results. In your own life, if you fail to be on the ground, you will fail to enjoy a good life. Be where it matters. Like the NPP delegates have taught us, let’s do what matters on the ground and we will see ourselves win in life.

#3. The delegates have a mind of their own

You can feed delegates, befriend them, do roads for them, buy them motorbikes, and so on but if you don’t do what they like, they will not vote for you. Delegates, indeed have a mind of their own. They call the shot. They determine who wins. That is why around this time they have become so important. It is their ‘cocoa season’ as we say in Ghana. If you don’t treat them well, they will not treat you well.

We can learn that people have a mind of their own like the delegates. If you want something from your boss, you must do what he likes to please him. If you want your wife to be there for you always, you must learn to treat her well. If you want a friend to be there for adversity, you must be there for them in their adversity. Hand go; hand come. We cannot be only ‘me’ minded and think ‘others’ will faithfully be there for us. Before you ask people for help, help them. These NPP delegates, like in other aspects of life, have taught us to think of other people in order to get their massive support and actual votes.

These are real-life lessons we can keep in mind to strive in life. The NPP delegates have taught us to confess and work, work on the ground and mind the delegates. Never forget these lessons whilst you are at work on your dreams.

By: Eric Otchere

Email: otchereeric@gmail.com.