Sammy Gyamfi committed a political crime

How would you feel as a consumer of a brand where in an in-house recruitment in the brand organisation which requires a decision to be made to either renew the contract of the Head of Marketing or find a replacement, the Head of PR openly communicates their support for another applicant against their fellow Head of Unit who seeks a renewal of contract?

You see how ridiculous this sounds? Yes! This is what Mr. Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) did. For him to say in his tweet that “it’s not a crime” as a justification for his action of openly supporting Mr. Brogya Genfi against his fellow National Executive exposes the lack of deployment of political marketing strategy in the management of internal elections in the political party, NDC. 

Mr. Sammy Gyamfi’s assertion of his endorsement act not being a crime is contrary to political marketing orientation which judges this as a crime, a political crime. It is a political crime because it creates an open discord, which:

1) destroys the cordial relationship between him and George Opare Addo, two national officers of the party, therefore negatively affecting campaign team cohesion for election 2024.

2) plants a perception of a divided leadership front in the minds of key party stakeholders, especially supporters, and this can negatively affect political brand trust that political consumers (voters) of the brand NDC has or will have going into election 2024. It can also affect campaign fund raising etc that ultimately threatens victory in election 2024.

These reasons outlined above generally would not positively position the NDC’s political brand in the electoral market for election 2024. 

A similar development of this nature was observed earlier this year in the National Executive Elections of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) when the Ashanti Regional Chairman, Mr. Bernard Antwi Boasiako popularly known as ‘Chairman Wontumi’ openly communicated his support for the incumbent General Secretary at the time, Mr John Boadu. This open endorsement sparked a lot of controversy and brouhaha pre, during and post the National Executive Elections. 

This practice of open endorsement among members of leadership of political parties against each other in their internal elections seems to have taken over the political space. For some, it is choosing their friends over their fellow executives, for others, it is choosing those who belong to their internal party caucus over those belonging to other caucuses, and for many, it is returning a political favour and showing loyalty over building a bond with fellow executives as reasons to justify their unconventional open display of endorsement in the context highlighted.

The critical question here is, does this act depict evidence of deployment of political marketing strategy in the management of the political brand of political parties? The answer is NO! This act should not be encouraged as it hurts the political brand of the political parties. 

As a matter of strategic urgency, political parties need to enact legislation to guide internal election practices particularly endorsements and enforce with sanctions to prevent such open acts of endorsement by leaders of political parties against each other that hurt their political brand. 

This article is therefore a clarion call for a review and amendment of the constitutions of political parties in Ghana to capture this provision on endorsement by leaders of political parties in internal elections.