It is often amusing, if not tragic, to see some aficionados of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) strut around the political space with a fait accompli attitude towards the 2016 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
Only “uneducated minds” will vote for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), says one of its esteemed members of Parliament.
On Facebook, a self-acclaimed NPP party supporter reportedly called all people who voted for the NDC in the last elections “stupid”. Seeing the back of the NDC government against the wall in the light of undeniable national challenges, many of these avowed opponents readily assume that the disaffection will or has already automatically translated into NPP- only votes.
It is not an understatement to say some of these aficionados – leaders and members alike– are feeling quite cocky at this point. In this cockiness, there is a not-so-subtle attempt to shame, if not insult, us into voting for their party and candidate. In this milieu, any critical questions on the perceived readiness of the party to assume power in the wake of current violent happenings and lawless acts among its fractured national leadership and members are robustly repelled with a wave of intolerance and condescension. Alas, the Mahama government is so bad that we simply dare not say anything less than sing adoring praises of the NPP and Akufo-Addo, its candidate.
But time will tell, as always. in the midst of these national challenges, how has this alternate government positioned itself? Press conferences organised by its national executives are disrupted by machete–wielding supporters, thus compelling the Police to intervene. The party makes heavy weather of the very simple matter of convening national executive, not Cabinet meetings. Split right down the middle, with the national chairman and general secretary swinging from one side and the vice chairman leading the other charge, the party raises concerns that its overriding thirst for power has blinded it to all else.
The NPP’s leaders fill the airwaves with rabid accusations of wanton mutual disregard for and breech of the party’s constitution, rules and regulations. This aside, the leaders publicly accuse one another of being liars. The general secretary is a liar if he feigns ignorance of the botched steering committee meeting. The assassinated Upper East Regional Chairman of the party is a liar if he feigns ignorance of the recent visit of the national chairman and general secretary to his region. These are of course, not my own accusations, but those issuing from the mouths of NPP leaders.
Police intervention
If the NPP stopped at mere accusations and counter-accusations, perhaps, it would not be so bad. The NPP has, however, taken it a step further and higher. For going to the Upper East Region ostensibly to campaign against the party’s flag bearer, there have been violent repercussions for the party chairman and general secretary.
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