John Boadu (middle) inaugurating the committee yesterday
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has inaugurated a 10-member committee to review the performance of the party in the December 7, 2016 general election.
The committee, chaired by Dr. Adusei Poku, a lawyer, has been given six weeks to submit its report.
Swearing in the members of the committee, Acting NPP General Secretary John Boadu said they were expected to “provide a detailed and honest analysis of the 2016 elections countrywide, on structures and operations at all levels.”
He said the committee was also to “produce a clear, concise, but detailed report to form the basis for the party’s campaign to win the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections, i.e. a strategy for 2020 elections; and to provide objective review of the current state of the party.”
Mr. Boadu said they were doing the review because “the party takes cognizance of the fact that every political programme requires a critical review after the expiration of the execution period.
“It is not surprising that at the inception of the 4th Republican Constitution, when the party believed that the 1992 presidential elections were rigged, the party did a review of the election and came up with the popular ‘Stolen Verdict.’ Likewise, the 1996 presidential and parliamentary elections were reviewed by the party and the lessons learnt and mistakes corrected catapulted the party into winning the 2000 elections overwhelmingly. The party produced what was known as the bought verdict.”
Mr Boadu said the NPP in 2008 set up the Heymann Committee to review why the NPP lost the 2008 general election and some of the recommendations given resulted in the amendments of the party’s constitution in 2009.
“You all know about the bizarre circumstance under which the 2012 elections were declared by the EC and even the Supreme Court pronouncement on the presidential petition filed by the then presidential candidate and now the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. The 2012 elections were reviewed as well,” he pointed oyut.
He said, “Thankfully, the New Patriotic Party won the 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections convincingly and we are inaugurating this committee to undertake an independent review of the 2016 elections.
“The NPP as a liberal conservative party believes that its internal democracy will thrive only on a democratic enabling environment. It is only based on this that the party will continue to become very attractive to all and sundry.”
According to him, “For the first time in the history of our Fourth Republic an opposition candidate won the presidential election without going to a second round. The opposition candidate defeated incumbent president one-touch and the margin was over one million votes. The opposition party again won majority of seats in parliament.”
Apart from the Chairman of the Committee, other members include Evans Nimako, Secretary; Dr. Ohene Konadu; Joyce Opoku Boateng, former NPP Women’s Organizer; Rita Asobayire; Dr. Alhassan Sulemana Anamzoya; Nelson Owusu Ansah; Kusi Boafo, former MP for Ejisu and former Foreign Affairs Minister; Akwasi Osei Agyei and Dr. Mark Bediako.
Dr. Opoku Adusei, on behalf of the committee, accepted to review the party’s performance and said, “We want to do a review of what transpired and try to predict the future for the NPP.”
He said the exercise would help the party to strengthen its position to win the 2020 general election.
By William Yaw Owusu