A few days ago, ace comedian, KSM, posed a vital question to the NPP when he asked, “Na panin nni fie ho?“, regarding what is happening. “The party,” a newspaper reported,” is splintering due to disillusionment over corruption, patronage and perceived abandonment of founding principles.” The party referred to here is not the NPP—it is the ANC of South Africa.
The NPP, like the proverbial elephant, has lost its way and is in the bush. Ghana’s voters delivered a clear message to the NPP in the 2024 elections. That message was distilled and reinforced by the Ocquaye Committee Report, by Ablekuma and now, by Akwatia. However, the party that used to brag about having “the men”, seem to be in the control of tafraky3, “area goro boys” who only care about their narrow selfish agenda. They want to foist a flag-bearer on us as an irreversible act even as the party collapses around us, in pursuit of an absurd plan to “rebuild from the top down” in the belief that the broad masses of the party will go along.
Well, parties, like countries, are not immortal. In 1856, in the US, former Whigs, unhappy with the Kansas-Nebraska Act and slavery, broke away to form the Republican Party that ended slavery. In the UK, the Liberal Party formed in 1869, that gave Britain its greatest PM, Gladstone, splintered under Asquith and Lloyd George and became irrelevant. This cautionary tale will end at home. In the 1940s, the UGCC was formed to fight for independence and brought Nkrumah in to help. When Nkrumah started connecting it to the grassroots, the pompous old suits resorted to legalisms and sought to discipline him, so he left, with the masses to form the CPP and the rest is history.
The party is always the masses. They will follow you, stay home or vote for your opponent, in their interest. In 1979, forgetting the lessons of 1949, the Danquah-Busia-Dombo family splintered, due to pettiness and selfishness, giving Ghana Limann and ultimately, 2 decades of Rawlings! Parties, and even nations, require listening, selfless leaders to succeed. In 1940, in the midst of war, when Chamberlain resigned, it was the turn of Lord Halifax to be Prime Minister of the UK, but he stepped aside in an act of historic selflessness.” I want to be Prime Minister but Churchill will, at this time, be a better Prime Minister”, he said.
Unfortunately, we have too many in our party who would be flag-bearer even if it would cost their party the Presidency and too many who would go along for money. In 1994, Nelson Mandela wanted Ramaphosa as his vice. But the ANC elders told him at the crucial meeting that the party wanted Mbeki. The next day, he summoned Ramaphosa. He said, “Son, you are my choice for Deputy President but the party wants Mbeki. Therefore, it shall have Mbeki.” That set the ANC on its way to its long dominance of South African politics.
The 1.2 million NPP members who voted for President Mahama could have made Dr. Bawumia President but they did not. They heeded NADAA’S advice that they owned their votes. If we don’t listen to them, they will deliver that message again in 2028. The NPP needs leadership elections beginning from the polling all the way to the national level and a return to its founding principles. The elections we need now are for party executives, not flag-bearer. And we need it now! While money matters, in politics as in love, it is not everything. Let the elders KSM referred to act to save the party and the country.
Ghana and even the NDC deserves a vibrant effective NPP. If we don’t heed the voice of the people the NPP will die, like the Whigs of North America, the Liberals of Britain and the UGCC and CPP of Ghana.
Kukrudu!! Long live NPP. Long live Ghana.
Article By: Dr. Arthur Kobina Kennedy
