A leading member and a two-time flag bearer
aspirant of the New Patriotic Party, Mr. Alan Kwadjo Kyeremanten, has
said the ability of any political party to win elections lies in how it
chooses its own leaders.
In this regard, he says the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has every reason
to be proud of what it has achieved so far in organising “what is
considered by independent and objective political analysts to be free,
fair and transparent elections to select party officials at the polling
station, constituency and regional levels.”
Sharing his general reflection on the conduct of elections in an
exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic, the 2016 presidential
hopeful of the NPP expressed the conviction that “this record will
hopefully not be undermined, but rather reinforced in the process of
selecting parliamentary candidates and a flag bearer for the party in
due course.”
He made this assessment against the backdrop that the composition of
the NPP’s current Electoral College and the processes for internal
elections could be considered as one of the most comprehensive and
broad-based political models to have been introduced not only in the
political history of Ghana but the whole of Africa.
In his key message to delegates to the National Conference to be held
in Tamale on April 12,2014, he encouraged all delegates and party
members to work together to ensure that the NPP would come out of the
conference more united than ever before; that the party would eventually
emerge as the winner and not individual contestants.
He, however, said that would not happen by chance, but would require
that party officials and other accredited delegates to the conference
would jointly and severally conduct themselves, both in speech and
action, in a manner that would not prejudice the outcome of the
elections.
In his view, the contest must be about selecting candidates who could
organise and manage the party to return it to power in 2016 rather than
serving the selfish interests of individuals and interest groups within
the party. He insists that “the focus must be on building a strong,
united party with a common purpose and vision.”
He further pointed out that talking about unity must not be a mere
rhetorical exercise undertaken by party leaders and other officials, but
must be backed by concrete action. NPP winning power in 2016?
On what it will take for the NPP to win political power in 2016, Mr.
Kyeremanten postulated a number of factors, including the need to review
the two successive election defeats.
“There has to be a comprehensive and dispassionate analysis of why we
are currently not in power and by commitment to the core principles of
democratic governance, our belief in the rule of law, our belief in the
sanctity of the Constitution of Ghana and the basic tenets of our
jurisprudence in protecting the rights of individuals, ensuring
accountability of institutions of state, as well as checking the abuse
of political power by government,” he stressed.
Although the Supreme Court did not rule in the NPP’s favour, Mr.
Kyeremanten said, “there is absolutely no doubt that we made a strong
and compelling case and I believe that posterity will be the final
arbiter of the validity or otherwise of our judicial claims.”
In addition, he pointed out that the NPP flag bearer for the 2012
General Election, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, was right in making a
public declaration of the acceptance of the court’s ruling, while
expressing in no uncertain terms his dissatisfaction with the final
ruling of his Lordships. “This is a further reflection of the deep and
abiding faith that our great party has in defending the principle of due
process in the resolution of electoral disputes,” he stated.
He, however, indicated that the NPP must now move forward beyond the
court case and undertake a more comprehensive analysis and introspection
of other factors that might have contributed to the party’s defeat.
Among other things, he called on the party as a matter of urgency to
review its campaign structure and organisation as well as preparations
for general elections and demand accountability for results from the
leadership of the party and campaign officials.
“The propaganda about the party having lost the 2012 General Election
because Alan Kyerematen or other specific leading members of the party
did not support the campaign is not only false but vicious and a cover
up for those who should be taking responsibility for their acts and
omissions in not ensuring victory for the party” he declared.
He said the review exercise must lead to major internal reforms,
including how to mobilise grass root support for election campaign, such
as voter registration and ensuring optimal voter turn-out; selecting,
preparing and motivating polling agents for Election D-Day activities,
dealing substantively with party internal conflicts without bias and
favour, particularly in the run up to the selection of parliamentary
candidates
He also called on the party to conduct an objective analysis of the
Ghanaian voter psychology to gain an understanding of why Ghanaians vote
the way they do in the selection of their leaders in presidential
elections.
“This should not be seen as a subjective or negative exercise but
rather as a proactive and strategic effort by the party to groom and
promote candidates who can attract independent voters beyond NPP’s core
constituency and deliver victory for the party.
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