Every New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegate, and for that matter, member and sympathizer must be abreast with the following facts as the party goes into Congress later this year, and National Elections in 2016.
• That, the party abhors hero-worshipping since it is a broad-based democratic party in Ghana, hence the name, Danquah-Dombo-Busia Tradition (United Party).
• That, the mantra; "No Nana, No Vote", being propagandized by some groups, is not only divisive, but also selfish and wicked statement inimical to the growth of the NPP.
• That, all those indoctrinated with; "No Nana, No Vote" are all NPP sympathisers who voted in Election 2012, yet the NPP lost miserably. They must understand that, never in the history of NPP have members unanimously refused to vote in national election just because their preferred flag-bearer aspirant did not win the primaries.
• That, former president Kufuor is the most important personality in the UP Tradition and must be accorded due respect, especially on his take on party and national issues.
• That, since 2008, the NPP's Presidential Candidate has failed the party on three (3) electoral occasions (run-off included), and must not be given a fourth chance since he has not convinced the masses as to how he would win Election 2016.
• That, the party's presidential candidate's popular votes have been depreciating from 49.13% in 2008 first round, 48.32% 2008 second round, to 47.74% in 2012.
• That, giving the same Candidate a fourth chance in 2016, 'other things equal' his popular votes are likely to decline further to 45.8% signifying a third term loss to the party.
• That, another electoral loss of NPP under the same Candidate in 2016, could collapse the Party as a new NPP Candidate in 2020 cannot match that of NDC's potential new Vice President - Hannah Tetteh or Spio Garbrah.
• That, there are other equally competent, if not more competent persons than our thrice defeated Candidate, who can solve not only NPP's problems, but Ghana's economic woes as well.
• That, under this same NPP presidential candidate, the party has been losing all the Akan Regions - Central, Brong-Ahafo, and Western Regions, previously won by Kufuor with ease.
• That, the party has been 'disintegrated' under this same Candidate due to the actions of some people who follow him. For instance, sidelining and suspending party stalwarts like Dr. Wireko-Brobbey, and Dr. Arthur Kennedy.
• That, this same Candidate unlike Kufuor, has not been able to win overwhelmly in his own home region (Eastern). In the last three elections, for instance, our most marketed candidate has not managed to cross even 58% in Eastern Region. Kufuor won 60% in that region.
• That, our Candidate lost six (6) polling stations in the Akyem Abuakwa South Constituency to his opponent, John Mahama, an indication that his own people do not like, and do not need him as president.
• That, the total number of NPP members and sympathisers (estimated at 5.2m) alone cannot make the party's presidential candidate, the president of Ghana.
• That, the NPP needs extra votes from floating voters (between 300,000 and 500,000), if not from other minor political parties, to win the presidential elections in 2016.
• That, our Candidate does not appeal to the Ghanaian floating voter, whose vote is urgently needed to cushion the NPP's votes. This is evident by the consistent rejection of our candidate by the electorate, especially those from the swing regions.
• That, no candidate has been given more than two opportunities to lead the NPP since its formation in 1992. Therefore, the same candidate who led party in Elections 2008 and 2012 without a win had already exhausted his two opportunities. No investor would continue to invest in business that has proven to be unsuccessful on three occasions.
• That, the many controversies surrounding our former Candidate, in terms of NDC's lies and propaganda about his physique, character, age, and personality, cannot be wiped away so easily to enable NPP win Election 2016 with this person.
• That, our former Candidate needs to apologise for his political doctrines; "All die be die", and "Y3n Akanfoo" made in 2012 that were misconstrued by the NDC.
• That, two successive NPP national executives - Mac Manu-led team, Jake-led team have all been voted out, and thus, it does not make political sense to maintain the man whose picture has always been on the ballot. Change in flag-bearership is necessary at this crucial time.
• That, no presidential candidate has emerged from his first defeat to beat an incumbent president in his second attempt in the annals of Ghana's election, especially when the victor doubles as an incumbent president. Mills couldn't beat then Prez Kufuor in 2004 after the latter beat him 2000.
• That, since the first Republic, the Ghanaian electorates have never voted for a Candidate whose age is beyond 70 years. Dr. Nkrumah (47 years), Dr. Busia (56 years), Dr. Limann (46 years), John Rawlings (45 years), John Kufuor (62 years), John Mills (64 years), John Mahama (54 years). This means that the NDC, known to have done "Politics of Character Assassination, and Tribalism" will use the age factor against any Candidate of ours beyond 72 years. Mills at 64 years, was the oldest among them.
• That, it is politically advantageous for the NPP to lose Election 2016 under a new Candidate than for the same candidate to lose for the third time.
• That, Kufuor and Alan played an integral part of both 2008 and 2012 NPP Campaigns, in terms of financial and material assistance, yet, our Candidate couldn't win against both Mills and Mahama. If, as an incumbent government, our visionary. popular and experienced candidate couldn't beat Mills, how does he do that in opposition with a 323,663 vote deficit?
• That, it does not make political sense to change Jake Obetsebi Lamptey and Sir John as party Chairman and Secretary respectively, if indeed, the NPP won the 2012 elections as being propagandized. Why change the "winning team"?
• That, John Mahama used only three (3) months of campaigning to beat the most popular, incorruptible, marketed, tried and tested Candidate of ours by 323,663 valid votes.
• That, the NPP has failed to collate all our Candidate's popular valid votes as recorded on the 26,002 Statement of Declaration Forms (Pink Sheets) vis-a-vis those of John Mahama to determine the actual votes "stolen" for Mahama.
• That, if it is accepted that John Mahama influenced the Ghanaian electorates with laptops, cars, and money within three months of campaigning, he could do more in 2016 as an incumbent president.
• That, the massive support being given by NDC members and sympathisers to Alan this time around is not fake, but a positive indication that they are ready to vote for the NPP in 2016, if only Alan Kyerematen leads the party.
• That, anytime the NPP members assume that the NDC members entertain some fear for NPP's presidential candidate, in terms of how they would deal with them on their corrupt activities, the NPP loses the elections. It happened in 1992 to Prof. Adu Boahen and it has happened in both 2008 and 2012.
• That, the over-reliance of sympathy votes by some NPP members in Election 2016 is wrong, because the source of these sympathy votes is not clearly defined. Elections in Ghana have never been won on the basis of sympathy.
• That, any Candidate desirous of winning crucial elections, especially after two painful defeats, will map up better strategies, but will not rely on sympathy votes just because he had accepted Supreme Court verdict.
• That, the fact that NDC's Mills won on his third attempt does not mean that the Ghanaian electorate would extend such favour to our twice defeated candidate in 2016, because the two personalities are different. Mills was a professor, changed his running mates thrice, won many regions with appreciating votes, and lost to only Kufuor. The same cannot be said about ours.
• That, our experienced Candidate's inability to win three presidential elections against political 'novices' like Mills and Mahama, in spite of NPP's economic record - free basic education, NHIS, free maternal care etc, not forgetting the incumbency advantage makes it ridiculous to retain the same candidate for Election 2016.
• That, for the Ghanaian electorate to have chosen Mahama's "Edey bee K3k3" over free SHS in Election 2012 gives the impression that, Ghanaians are not ready to accept our candidate as their president. Thus, they would prefer to live under Mahama's incompetence, and economic hardships to having our candidate as their president.
• That, our 2008 presidential candidate personally promised Alan Kyerematen at the Legon Congress in 2007 that, Alan would be president after him in 2017, that's after his 8-year term of office by 2016.
• That, it appears age has caught up with our former Candidate and that, he would find it difficult to crisscross the length and breadth of Ghana to interact with all the NPP delegates first, and later to all Ghanaians in the heat of Election 2016.
• That, our twice defeated candidate must be impressed upon to give way to Alan-Bawumia partnership in 2016 to enable the NPP win power easily. Alan sacrificed for him in 2007, so he should reciprocate that gesture in 2014.
• That, our focus as a party should be how to win political power and maintain it , but not who becomes our flag-bearer. In this sense, the very people who played key roles in Kufuor's two victories must be involved in the party's campaign programmes, and not be sidelined.
Compiled by:
Katakyie Kwame Opoku Agyemang, Asante Bekwai-Asakyiri. Email: katakyienpp@yahoo.co.uk
Mobile: 0547851100 : 0264931361 : 0202471070
"Vision, coupled with persistency, results in true success"
