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Opinions of Friday, 15 June 2018

Columnist: Eric Kwabena Edusei

Chairman Freddie Blay is an icon of hope, peace and unity

Freddie Blay is an aspiring National Chairman of the NPP Freddie Blay is an aspiring National Chairman of the NPP

Notwithstanding the enormous natural resources, African countries including Mother Ghana have suffered a great deal because of poor leadership. This declaration hold true to the fact that if NPP had stayed in government for another eight years after President Kufour’s administration, Ghana would not have found herself in this precarious situation.

After all the strenuous efforts by NPP government under President Kufour’s Administration to salvage the economy from HIPIC, the NDC Party under the destructive and incompetent management of President Mahama miraculously sent the nation back into the league of Highly Indebted Nations. At a public debt of GH¢9.5 billion after President Kufour’s Administration exit, President Mahama and his henchmen amazingly left the nation on her knees with a whopping debt of GH¢122 billion.

The irony here is that this same president who has succeeded in destroying this nation wants the presidency back, and it is possible, if we do not do our homework well to select better leaders. Interestingly, he and other NDC members have too many resources capable of buying the minds of great people as has always been the case in our great nation’s history where great personalities have become economic stocks.

Honorable Delegates, the hour has come, although not gone, for you to do what is right to select a Chairman capable of leading the party to victory. You have the privilege and the mandate to save the party, the nation and the unborn with your vote or forever shut your mouth if you decide to sell your conscience and destroy the nation.

Brothers and sisters, we have the opportunity today to think about the future of our nation and use the power accorded us to do what is objectively right in our minds and hearts to demonstrate total commitment to the party’s future and mother Ghana. We should all be reminded that it takes continuity in good leadership to salvage the nation and the process starts today by selecting a good Administrator to manage the party’s agenda to victory.

Honorable men and women, caution has to be our guide because of our history. We witnessed the diabolical acts of certain renowned people in our party that almost destroyed and collapsed our party. It is true that the elephant cannot thrive on clay feet, which buttresses the need to have a formidable functional management team. Granting what happened to the party prior to the elections, we were lucky to have survived the stormy waters but the Almighty God was on our side.

However, this mistakes and betrayals from the party elite do not mean that God will come to our rescue again if we fail to organize ourselves. He has resourced us adequately to think; having given us independent minds and wisdom to take cogent decisions. Honorable delegates, the day of reckoning has come but not gone for you to decide the destiny and future of the party and the nation at large. We will fail our nation if we allow our personal interest and money to sway our conscience. Chairman Blay, the symbol of commitment and dedication is the key.

The beauty of our democracy is that everyone has the right to influence the decision making process and life of the people. I have nothing personal against any contestant just that I want people to understand my reasons for my choice for the party leadership in this trying period. Chairman Blay is incorruptible and cannot be influenced by the NDC Party machinery which is capable of buying the silence of great minds.

They understand the game of African politics and know the price of everybody that is corruptible. However, they do not have the price of Chairman Blay, the self made tycoon because he cannot be corrupted; unlike many moles in the party who are still fighting for positions despite their past. Interestingly, when all the self acclaimed Party Founders and top party icons had fallen prey to the NDC ploys during the electioneering campaign, it was Chairman Freddie Blay, the oak tree, who stood firm to get the wrecked ship floating to shore.

Why do we want to change a winning team? Chairman Freddie Blay has shown a mark of resilience in his leadership role amidst all the inherent problems. He was balanced and well measured when the going was tough with the party stretched so thin and sandwiched by internal party power struggles, disunity and disloyalty. Have we so soon forgotten our history and how we were able – with proper planning – to destroy the incumbent President and his henchmen, and win back over 60 seats? Please, don’t subvert the winning team.

Chairman Freddie Blay is a unifier. He assumed leadership at a time when the party was dysfunctional with limited resources. The top hierarchy was in disarray while the bottom has broken apart with many divisions, groupings and factions. The party’s fortunes were in disarray and all our prospects appeared gloomy and disastrous. In all these debilitating circumstances, Mr. Blay and Chairman F.F. Anto, managed, with their shrewd politics, to keep afloat the sinking ship and shepherd it to the shore (victory). These unique personalities including the party General Secretary, John Boadu, with their rich experience should be retained to carry on with their work. Many party functionaries could attest to the fact that Chairman Blay has spent his own personal resources on many of the party members in the interest of the party.

In a political party with so many power blocs, it takes an exceptionally neutral person with a high sense of maturity to merge the factions. He has no alliance with any group and bears no allegiance to any faction. It is imperative that we have a chairman whose commitment and loyalty is to the party alone and he defines this rule. As a peace maker and an astute lawyer, he has succeeded in sustaining the party structures and galvanizing its frontiers amidst all the political turbulences. NPP as a party has a lot of internal issues and they come out vibrant during elections and campaign times. As to be expected, it takes a seasoned person with exceptional human qualities to be able to manage the egos of the party faithful and the best person is Chairman Freddie Blay: very frank where he hates and jovial where he loves.

Honourable Delegates, there is a tide in the affairs of men which determines the success or otherwise of any endeavour; a time to jubilate and a time to stabilize the party. The 2020 elections are very close and it would be tough if we fail to solidify our structures to withstand the emerging issues. The party is still in a frenzy state and most fanatics are disillusioned. Besides, we are not going to get help from the masses as it were in 2017 which make the 2020 elections very dicey and tough. We are in dangerous times and we need serious minded people to manage the affairs of the party or commit to endanger our prospects in 2020. This is the time for a well balanced person in the name of Mr. Freddie Blay to manage the party.

Honourable Delegates, the hour of reckoning has come, although not yet gone, for you to cast your votes, votes that will ultimately determine the destiny, hope and future of our party and the nation. Please remember full well that nobody has the capability to determine your vote, so go to the voting booth and do justice to your conscience by voting for Messrs Freddie Blay and F.F Anto who have stood firm during the turbulent periods to lead the party to fruition. Remember, we swim or sink together but have the keys. May the good Lord guide you in your endeavour.