By: Reindolf Amankwa
The fact remains that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is a well structured political party. It has specific laid down organs with functions for the day-to-day administration of the party. These organs, whether or not they manifest their true functions or roles cannot be taken out of the picture and that, they are well thought out and instituted.
The deficiency therein as identified to be the cause of NPP’s electoral misfortunes or near misfortune is the party’s inability to accept diverse research opinions or to engage the appropriate research bodies to aid their electoral endeavor. Their way of undermining research findings and recommendations that are contrary to their own is not only worrying but the bane on their usual anticipated gains.
Elections are neither won only by the achievements of a certain political party nor by the incompetence and flaws of another party. For any political party or politician to think that one can only win a forthcoming election because they’ve been so much achieved by his government within a term or in previous terms is only but a thought regrettable. Elections are largely won when electoral research tools are properly engaged; findings of the research earnestly considered; and recommendations carefully exercised.
Ahead of the 2020 general election were many research works. As a matter of fact, some political think tanks including Critical Thinkers International (CTI), IMANI, CDD and others knew that the contest ahead for the NPP was not as easy as others thought it to be. In my article “The Lingering Shadows Of A Failed President” published on October 6, 2020 on various news portals including; https://breakingnewsgh.com/the-lingering-shadows-of-a-failed-president/, https://www.dailymailafrica.com/2020/10/06/the-lingering-shadows-of-a-failed-president/, https://www.modernghana.com/news/1033752/the-lingering-shadows-of-a-failed-president.html gave a clear caution to the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
In the article cited above, I noted with caution that “many achievements were chalked by the John Agyekum Kufuor government yet the NPP lost the baton to some incompetent folks who…”. I was high spirited that the NPP shall retain Presidential power but I also knew without any shred of doubt that many parliamentary seats were being lost and would be finally lost.
For instance, concerning losing parliamentary seats, I was emphatic in several articles that NPP was bound to lose the Sissala West seat, and would (if care was not taken) lose the Sissala East seat as well. My conclusion was inspired by a research work CTI had done in the Upper West region where those two seats are housed. Indeed, today, we have lost the Sissala West seat and narrowly escaped losing Sissala East to the PNC as CTI through my pen foretold.
In “The Lingering Shadows Of A Failed President”, I identified that “the NPP government (under President Akufo-Addo) has performed better yet there is the lingering shadows of an incompetent leader and his equally incompetent party playing the devil’s advocate”. I was afraid of the future amidst the optimism of victory coming forth contrary to what the leadership of the party envisaged as another gargantuan victory repeating itself.
The NPP is well structured in organs and functions yet is deficient in accepting contrary views of electoral research and writings. Elitism or better classified intellectualism is at its highest peak in the NPP but it seem to me that the connection between this elitism and electoral actuality is missing. It is not always the case that the NPP’s Danquah Institute, Research & Elections Directorate or other bodies employed by the party to run research would get the issues right. We, individuals who believe in political research and do same to aid the growth of Ghana’s politics without being flattery should be given the necessary honor.
The “high profile intellectuals” should be given their place to administer the affairs of the party but concerning elections and electoral matters, research actualities (not the usual bowtie flattery) should also be given good attention. The future of the party remains bright but shaky until the grassroot is well catered for. Bowtie elitism, research flattery, policies and projects do not always win elections.
