Kofi Bentil, Vice President of IMANI Africa, has described Kojo Bamba’s election as NPP First Vice Chairman as a potential strategic advantage for the party, arguing that perceptions of security could influence voter confidence in future elections.

According to him, the election security was an important factor in determining whether people felt safe enough to participate in the voting process.

“People will not even go to the polling station to vote if they don’t perceive that they will be secure,” he said.

Bentil argued that political parties needed to demonstrate that they could protect their supporters and their ballots instead of relying entirely on assurances from state security agencies.

“If you have somebody at a very high level who has the capability, whether he will do it or not, to project that once I’m here you can be assured of your security, it will lead more people to go and vote. It will create more confidence in the election,” he stated.

He maintained that projecting strength could help deter interference and reassure party supporters, while stressing that the objective should be to protect the electoral process rather than encourage unlawful conduct.

“We are not asking for anybody to go and do anything untoward,” Bentil said. “But when you cast or project that we are strong enough to protect and do what is right to make sure this election is not thwarted or messed up with, you send a signal that guarantees peace.”

Bentil linked the argument to the principle that weakness can threaten peace, referencing former US President Ronald Reagan’s statement that “weakness is a threat to peace.”

Although Bentil disclosed that his personal preference in the NPP contest had been former minister Mustafa Hamid, he said his subsequent assessment of the outcome had given him confidence in the delegates’ judgment.

“I think whatever they do, they must find a role for Hamid because Hamid is a fantastic person,” he said.

He later described Bamba’s victory as “an absolutely master stroke,” arguing that the delegates were sending a message to the party’s leadership and the wider political landscape.

Bentil concluded that the NPP’s decisions could have implications beyond its internal affairs, adding that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) should take note of the message he believes the delegates have sent.