The Elephant Is Coming Back!

Herbert Krapa

Last Saturday, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) showed class again. The party demonstrated one more time, why it is acknowledged as the pacesetter of democracy in Ghana. Elections were held in 220 constituencies to elect the party’s parliamentary candidates and as usual it was peaceful. But any serious watcher of our country’s politics will know that the elections were going to be peaceful and rightly so because the leadership of the party ensured that the process was open and transparent and so in the end the elections were free and fair.

I extend a word of congratulation to all winners in last Saturday’s poll. I congratulate also, the leadership of the party for demonstrating such quality. It is indeed a novelty worth mentioning. But those deserving of the biggest applause and commendation are the delegates of the party. They voted, in my opinion, with a lot of wisdom. But they have been consistent. With any given opportunity, they bring to bear their desire to see the NPP come back to power in 2012. I congratulate them too. I put premium on the delegates because they will champion the campaign to win back power in 2012. They will take our good message to every corner of the polling station and constituency and that was one of the reasons for expanding the Electoral College of the party. That decision has been helpful so far, as it has brought out the best candidates at all levels whilst reinvigorating the grassroots of the party.

But perhaps, the biggest message that the entire process illustrated, is the resolve of the entire membership of the party to remain united no matter what. They recognise, that, remaining united, is a vital, non-negotiable ingredient in our quest to win the votes of the great majority of the Ghanaian people in 2012. In 2009, I wrote: “Unity for Victory: A must for the NPP.” Today, I say confidently, that, we are united, the campaign is on and the great victory of 2012 is coming by the grace of God.

Now also enters a very critical part of the entire process: the post-election environment in the constituency, and I believe the biggest job rests on the shoulders of all elected candidates. To them, I say the task is all yours. You have a responsibility to reach out to all. Rally all candidates, their supporters and the entire constituency together. You cannot win the constituency on your own. People make the votes and as I always say, all politics is local. If we don’t win majority of the constituencies and maximise our votes in the rest, the ultimate goal of victory 2012, the one thing that majority of Ghanaians are looking up to, will elude our party and indeed, all of us. The flip side of the matter, equally important, is the attitude of those who did not win. You too, have a responsibility to admit, that the delegates accessed all of you, weighed your strengths, listened to your respective messages and decided that at this point in time, another candidate will better serve the grand purpose of the party. That is the message they sent you and not that you are not a good candidate.

Since Saturday, I’ve been receiving phone calls and messages from across the world. They continue to commend the party for the peaceful process, applaud the novelty, congratulate winners and also mention a number of aspirants that they think are of high quality but couldn’t make it. They think it is sad. But the truth is that, the NPP always has a collection of good candidates vying for positions in the party. That party is like a quiver full of very sharp arrows. So, you were not losers. To me, the party elected candidates who are first among equals and I humbly appeal to all of you to walk with pride. Walk with pride, work in the constituency with pride, work with all and I assure you, your time is coming.

Another matter of grave concern is the tendency for aspirants and/ or some of their supporters to jump to the media to state their concerns and grievances if there are any. If anyone of you is contemplating it, I implore you not to do so. It is important for all of us to understand that the first point of call, for settling disputes and concerns, is to resort to the internal party structures. I have every confidence in the leadership of the party at all levels and I know that if any such concerns are brought before them, they will demonstrate maturity and deal with it amicably to the satisfaction of all.

Fellow kukrudites, the campaign has started. The campaign to bring back hope to the Ghanaian people has just begun. We have reflected, rebuilt now let us in unison, recapture. Ghana, the beacon of Africa, must move forward again. Nana Addo believes that “if there is a country in this part of the world, in so-called black Africa that has the ingredients for making that transition from poverty to prosperity, it is Ghana, especially now that we have a democratic system of government that seems to have the allegiance and the attachment of the mass of our people, I think we have the constitutional and political framework to address the questions of development.”

I agree entirely with Nana Addo as I’m sure all of us who mean well for our country do too. But that transition from poverty to prosperity can only be done with a set of best ideas and sound policies, and it is obvious today, with the help of the hard facts and records, that the NPP is the political party that can help our country achieve that feat.

We cannot continue to gamble with the future of our country. The NDC has failed us as they always have and the Ghanaian people cannot wait to vote them out and vote the NPP in.

Our house is in order as a party, and I know by God’s grace, the story will be same for our government in 2013, for Ghana to move forward again. Well done to all of us. Once again, we made our beloved country count, and the continent confident and world is applauding us for it. hkrapa@gmail.com