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Opinions of Friday, 25 July 2014

Columnist: Agyemang, Katakyie Kwame Opoku

The "20 Commandments" for NPP Delegates

Every New Patriotic Party (NPP) delegate, and for that matter, member and sympathizer must be abreast with these "Commandments" as the party goes into Congress later this year, and National Elections in 2016.

• Thou shall not be indoctrinated with the mantra; "No Nana, No Vote", for it is a sign of selfishness and division in the NPP.
• Thou shall not elect our former Candidate for the third time, for his popular votes have been depreciating from 49.13% in 2008 first round, 48.32% 2008 second round, to 47.74% in 2012.
• Thou shall not elect the same flag-bearer, for the NPP has been losing all the Akan Regions - Central, Brong-Ahafo, and Western Regions under his care.
• Thou shall not elect our former Candidate, for he can't even win more than 57% in his own home region, Eastern.
• Thou shall not elect the same Candidate, for he 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.
• Remember the floating voters (ranging between 300,000 and 500,000), and accept that they exist, for they are the "Kingmakers" in Ghana.
• Respect thy former president Kufuor, for he is the most important personality in the UP Tradition. He supported our former candidate with about $60m for the elections.
• Elect a Candidate who appeals to the Ghanaian floating voter, for their votes are urgently needed to cushion the NPP's 5.2m votes.
• Thou shall not elect a Candidate who is surrounded with many controversies - "All die be die", "We Akans" etc, for the NDC would use them as electoral weapons against the NPP.
• Thou shall not fear a change in flag- bearership, for two successive NPP national executives - Mac Manu-led team, Jake-led team have all been voted out even though their pictures were not on the ballot papers.
• Thou shall not forget that no defeated candidate has emerged from his last defeat to beat an incumbent president in his second attempt. Kufuor beat Mills twice, and Mahama will do same, if we present our defeated candidate again.
• Thou shall not be deceived that age is just a number, for s presidential candidate at age 72 has never been elected in Ghana as president. 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).
• Remember thy John Mahama's smartness, for he 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.
• Listen to the voice of NDC members and sympathisers, for they are ready to vote for the NPP in 2016, if only Alan Kyerematen leads the party.
• Remember that Alan-Bawumia partnership in 2016 is the best bet for the NPP to win power after Nana-Bawumia ticket had been rejected thrice.
• Remember that elections in Ghana do not necessarily depend on the experience, popularity, or marketability of a Candidate, else political 'novices' like Mills and Mahama could not beat the NPP's Candidate who campaigned on the basis of free SHS, free basic education, NHIS, and free maternal care.
• Thou shall not rely on any sympathy votes in Election 2016 just because somebody has accepted Supreme Court verdict, because the source of these sympathy votes is not clearly defined. Elections in Ghana have never been won on the basis of sympathy.
• Thou shall not be deceived that Prof. Mills won on his third attempt so it would happen to our twice defeated candidate in 2016, for 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.
• Thou shall not view the NDC's fear for our presidential candidate as a blessing, for it is the cause of our electoral defeats. It happened in 1992 to Prof. Adu Boahen and it has happened to us in both 2008 and 2012. A candidate must not be feared, but admired by his subjects.
• Thou shall not deny Alan Cash, the opportunity to lead the NPP this time around, for our former presidential candidate personally promised Alan in 2007 that, he would be president after him in 2017.

Compiled by:

Katakyie Kwame Opoku Agyemang, Asante Bekwai-Asakyiri
(Free SHS Ambassador)
Official blog: www.katakyienpp@yahoo.co.uk
0202471070 : 0264931361
"Vision, coupled with persistency, results in true success"