Stephen Ntim
The much anticipated parliamentary primaries that took over the entire media space last Saturday now belongs to history.
Scanning the media space, more than 24 hours after the event indicates that notwithstanding the tsunami that hit some sitting MPs, the rank and file accept the outcome as representing the feelings on the ground.
We have said previously that nobody can prevent the victors from celebrating and the vanquished from licking their wounds. Nonetheless, the victors and the defeated candidates must moderate their next line of action that would enhance the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) quest to break the eight so that on January 7, 2025, President Akufo-Addo would hand over to Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
Now that the exercise is history, national leadership of the NPP must initiate the process to mend the fences and bring all on board for the general election.
We need not remind the Ntim-led administration of the wise saying that “united we stand, divided we fall” and do everything possible to get party faithful to avoid any dissonance leading to the elections.
Nobody has ever been content with a defeat in any elections, and that is why the party leadership and elders must manage the egos of such personalities to ensure they still feel welcome as members of the NPP family.
We appeal to supporters of the winning candidates to desist from any attempt to make fun of the losers. That tendency must be avoided at all cost. And in areas where there were obvious breaches of peace and party rules like Yendi, the regional leadership must begin work to resolve the differences for the polls to be organised again.
We want to ask our compatriots not to take the exercise of voting as a do-or-die affair.
It is a very civil action to state our choices but not an opportunity to show “machoism”. Those who think might is right when we are called upon to exercise our preferences have nothing to offer. The challenges of our time require people with brains not brawns who on the least provocation want to reduce political contests into war.
That is why we find it unfortunate that in the Asante Akim Central Constituency, the disagreements in the ranks have been extended to the chapel where some party people have gone to thank God.
Actions such as these are not conducive enough to motivate all to work for victory. Again, some of the contenders have complained about the influence of moneybags in the primaries. Nobody wants to admit paying money to delegates, but some delegates have admitted receiving money. They even claim the money was very small, especially in areas where incumbents did not contest.
The use of moneybags in elections is a national issue, but political parties must try to minimise how they influence the ballot.
At the national level, perhaps the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) must begin the conversation to eliminate the influence of those with big purses in our politics, so that the decisions represent the true wishes of the people.
Be that as it may, we cannot but commend the NPP for organising very successful primaries last Saturday. The stage is now set for the “battle royale” in December. Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is determined to break the eight and he knows that although the task is possible there may be landmines in his pathway. There is no point to remind him of his opponents who are specialists in Goebbelsian lies.
They are ready to confuse the people with their propaganda in every space with their flagbearer, John Mahama leading that misinformation brigade. Every platform the NDC and its leaders get would be a forum to win votes so they would sustain their strategies.
Mr. James Klutse Avedzie, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament, knows that on a scale the banking sector did a lot to save our economy, but yesterday he engaged in utterances to paint the government’s action as causing loss to the state. He would listen to the explanation that every action throws up winners and losers. This is where we call Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia and his team to oil its strategies very well to expose the lies of the opposition.
Let us make election 2024 a contest based on facts and figures and not mere proclamations. The newly elected parliamentary candidates and their contenders should spare the party the pain of engaging in long and painful reconciliation missions.
The NPP needs to unite factions, but the space should be provided to enable the party to achieve the goal of retaining power. The party has done well so far, but it must also be on guard against scoring own goals.