Part (I)

Since the New Patriotic Party (NPP) came out with a time-table for the conduct of various elections to elect its Presidential candidate for election 2016, campaigning has intensified at various levels and platforms.

All the seven candidates who were able to file to contest at the close of nomination are going round and stating reasons why they should be the ones to lead the NPP into election 2016.

Currently the candidates will have to justify their inclusion through a Special Delegates Conference to be conducted on August 31, to scale down the number to 5. It is already known at this stage that, 2 of the 7 candidates will not make it to the final list that will be expected to score it out for who will eventually lead the NPP on October 18.

I have had the opportunity of listening to all the candidates and I must say I am excessively appalled at some of the reasons some of them are giving for wanting to lead the great party.
Some of them aside attacking Nana Addo have no any other message on why they should lead the NPP. All of them are making claims that Nana Addo led the NPP to two election “defeats” and should therefore be changed as a consequence.
This is a churlish reason to say the least. Did Nana Addo contest the 2012 elections as an Independent Candidate? The answer is a big No! He contested on the ticket of the NPP which had party structures from the polling stations, constituencies, regional and national.

The role of all these party structures is to work towards the victory of the NPP in all elections including election 2012.
So why will anyone narrow the “defeat” of NPP in two elections to one person?
Was Nana Addo the only person who had the responsibility of securing victory for the NPP in those elections? At times it is funny how some persons were part of a team and just because they are looking for the opportunity to lead the NPP will now isolate themselves from the team and begin to struggle to put the blame on Nana Addo. This is shameful, to say the least!

Those advancing such dilapidated arguments must make little time to read about team playing. A good team-player will accept defeat in the same way he will accept success. Anybody who can’t go by this principle is respectfully dead on arrival!

The second allegation against Nana Addo is that he is old and can’t embark on effective campaign. Those making this point simply are unaware about the organisational structures and operations of the NPP.
They have deliberately forgotten that Nana Addo will be part of a team to work for an NPP victory in election 2016. He will not be working as an Independent Presidential Candidate. Even Independent Presidential Candidates do have campaign teams.
I know of a President of Ghana who claims he was born in the 50s but has become the worst President of Ghana since independence in 1957. He has failed in all facets of his administration. So you see, age is only a number.
The NPP will be doing itself a great deal of disservice if it fails to present Nana-Bawumia ticket for election 2016. Ghanaians have now had the unique opportunity to know them better. Nana Addo for instance in the past was termed a “war-monger” by his opponents, but when the opportunity came for him to plunge the entire country into civil war after election 2012, he chose peace!
He told Ghanaians on the day the Supreme Court ruled in the Presidential election petition that he was for Ghana and not for himself. He expressed his deep abhorrence for violence in any form or shape and went ahead to congratulate John Dramani Mahama.
Nana Addo is now seen, by many in Ghana and the world as a whole, as a man of peace; the man who saved Ghana from falling into chaos.
The NPP, whose ticket he will be contesting on, has enormous achievements for the 8years it was in government between 2001-2009 The party also has credible policies and programmes on whose back it can ride to secure victory for the NPP to save Ghana.
The candidates vying to lead the NPP must tell the delegates what they have done for the party in the past, what they are doing for the party now and what they intend doing for the NPP to secure victory in election 2016.
All the candidates must eschew insults and personality attacks as they go round selling themselves. The NPP will need unity to win election 2016. The candidates must be very careful not to become the campaign managers for the NDC through what they are saying and doing now in their desperation to lead the NPP.
Nana Addo, when elected by the delegates of the party, must also work on certain things. He must disband the group that makes it difficult for people to come near him. Team Nana Addo must reach out to all talents.
There are some who will be financing Nana Addo. There are some who will be talking for votes for him. There are some who will be canvassing for votes for Nana and we have those who will be writing for Nana Addo like am doing now. All talents must be brought on board and utilized. “Cult” campaign teams for Nana Addo must not be encouraged. Selfishness must be abandoned for now. The bigger cake is when NPP wins election 2016.
Nana Addo MUST go with Dr Bawumia. This should be non negotiable. Not only is Dr Bawumia very conversant with the economy of Ghana, he is also very humble, gentle, approachable, God-fearing, supportive, caring, intelligent and energetic.
His modesty and humility is already winning floating supporters for the NPP. We cannot afford not to present this team for election 2016. That team after all is a winning team. The Nana Addo-Bawumia team indeed won election 2012.
I wish to end Part (1) by admonishing that, “those who live in glass houses should never dare throw stones”.
By Akilu Sayibu-Tamale North
Email: akisayi@yahoo.com