PNC has no future – Ayariga

After his abysmal performance in the 2012 general elections as the presidential candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC), and subsequently forming his All People’s Congress (APC), Mr. Hassan Ayariga has stated that the PNC has no future in the political governance of Ghana.

Speaking on Bolgatanga-based A1 Radio on Monday, Mr. Ayariga said: “I don’t think looking at the PNC, there is future for PNC. As we speak now, the PNC doesn’t have even up to ten offices, and the PNC cannot contest the 2016 general elections, because they have to get 144 offices.”

Claiming that his APC was the only political party in Ghana now qualified to contest in 2016 elections, Mr. Ayariga said even the NDC and NPP were yet to comply with the Electoral Commission’s directive for them to furnish it their offices.

“That is why I told you that APC is the only political party in Ghana to contest the 2016 as of now. All the political parties are only making noise in campaigning but the EC has given them until 31st of May to submit their offices or audit report or else, they will not be able to contest the elections”.

When asked when he (Ayariga) realized the PNC had no future, he said since he was with the party. “Look at the party from 7.6%, you have shared power of other political parties, you couldn’t do that. You brought the party to zero. Now bringing the party to zero means that the party on daily basis is going down, “So if PNC had 7.6%, for God’s sake, what happened to the PNC to come down to 0.0%? he quizzed.

According to him, when he assumed the position of presidential candidate, he tried to revive the party but had an opposition from people who did not believe in the PNC and people who had one leg in the PNC and one other leg in other political parties. “So the PNC became like a business entity for people.

I invested so much money in the PNC but the party could not even raise one cedi for my campaign”, he added. Mr. Ayariga also claimed that no political party will have one-touch victory in the November polls unless it formed an alliance with his APC. He said he was looking for a party that believed in all inclusive governance concept, because Ghanaians were tired of winner takes it all syndrome.

“In fact, when I became the flagbearer of the PNC, I faced challenges and those challenges could not have helped me in the PNC to achieve or realize the dream I have for Ghana. As a young man, you want a political party that can either win power or share power. APC stands for wining power or sharing power.

“But what I have realized is that the smaller political parties, what they want are just go round, shout their names, make some little money and walk away. That is not what I am looking for. “I am looking for a system whereby two political parties or more can manage our country to the extent that we will tap the talents of other politicians from other political parties so that we will be able to build country better.

“For us in the ACP, we have not formed ACP to be in opposition. APC is not an opposition political party. APC is either going to win power or share power,” he said. Explaining how his concept would work, Mr. Ayariga said: “we are going to work hard to ensure that no political party gets one-touch. Not the NDC and not the NPP. None of them will get one-touch. So if we are able to secure a reasonable percentage, let’s say 10% or 20% and above, then no political party is going to win power.

Now the only possibility for any political party who wants to win power is to come to us and let’s sit down and we will tell them; if you want us to support you to win your elections, first of all you have to look into our policies.

According to him, he would then bargain with such political party to include his members in that party’s government including ministers, deputy ministers, coordinators and other appointees. He would also insist on the inclusion of other parties in such a government. “So, you will have ministers, ACP will have ministers, NDC or NPP will equally have ministers because we have to share power to build our country. We don’t want the political syndrome of one political party mismanaging the economy.