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(From left) former Attorney-General (A-G), Mr Martin Amidu, former Deputy Chief of Staff, Dr Valerie Sawyerr and former party National Chairman, Dr Obed Asamoah
(From left) former Attorney-General (A-G), Mr Martin Amidu, former Deputy Chief of Staff, Dr Valerie Sawyerr and former party National Chairman, Dr Obed Asamoah

Who is for peace in NDC?

Quibblings and squabblings in political party affairs are not a strange occurrence but how they are managed to return the party’s cohesion to normalcy is what is vital.

Currently, within the political sphere, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) is struggling to assuage the anger and meet the high expectations of some of its aggrieved supporters and affiliated groupings who feel sidelined after they helped the party to win political power, whilst the People’s National Convention (PNC) is also faced with a court threat as its suspended General Secretary, Mr Atik Mohammed, has rubbished the move and intends to stay put as General Secretary notwithstanding the consequences.

Thus creating a political tango within the scheme of affairs in the PNC.

Nowhere cool

From what is happening within the NPP and the PNC, nowhere is cool and the two parties can be said to be at various stages of disagreement among some of their members.

However, what is happening in the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the dominant opposition political force in the country, is more worrying.

The NDC is not at peace with itself. After its failure to retain political power in the 2016 Election, the party is faced with internal wrangling and many things seem to be going haywire for the party.

More disturbing is the latest squabblings, quibblings and vituperations from former Deputy Chief of Staff, Dr Valerie Sawyerr, and the consequent harsh reactions from a former Attorney-General (A-G), Mr Martin Amidu, and former party National Chairman, Dr Obed Asamoah.

Last week, there were accusations and counter-accusations between Mr Amidu and Dr Sawyerr.

Some functionaries within the party jumped into the fray, heightening the already acrimonious relationship within the party leadership over who is actually to be blamed for the party’s woes.

NDC crushing heads?

The NDC seems to be crushing heads as to who and what caused the party’s defeat in the 2016 Election. There is also the unending corruption tagging pronouncements and perceptions hanging on the neck of the party.

Clearly, there is a turf war within the leadership of the NDC. This can be likened to ‘’ a house that is not at peace with itself’’ and determined to munch one another.

Like Chinua Achebe prefaced in “No Longer At Ease,” ‘’Turning and turning the widening gyre, the falcon cannot hear the falconer and the centre cannot hold and there is no longer at ease and things fall apart.’’ The question is who is for peace in the NDC?

In any given democratic society where there are diverse interests and grievances arising out of socio-economic and political considerations, conflicts are bound to happen.

But when they so happen it is crucial for the aggrieved to endeavour to make use of the democratic environment for resolution.

To bring sanity to the whole governance process, as well as accelerate the pace of national development for the benefit of the people, the critical roles of political parties cannot also be underestimated.

It is, therefore, worrying when the political process in any political party is engulfed in unending conflicts, disagreements, accusations and counter- accusations.
The hurt within the NDC simply appears deeper than ever thought.

Will NDC split before 2020?

No matter the hurt, this is the moment for unity, particularly in the NDC, if it is to stay together. If the current quibblings are sustained, could it see the party split before the 2020 polls?

Already, the NDC has the National Democratic Party (NDP), led by its former stalwart member and former First Lady. Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, to contend with.

The wife of the Founder of the NDC, former President JJ Rawlings, had to quit the NDC to form the NDP because of diverse differences the NDC leadership then could not reconcile.

Now that the NDP is outside the box of the NDC, conscious efforts must be made by the current leadership to ensure that the NDC remains intact and united to avoid further disintegration.

This will help the NDC, now in opposition, to play its expected role seeking the mandate of the people.

Anything short of this will not augur well for the party and its numerous members, supporters and sympathisers.

Moment for unity

The NDC needs to quickly whittle down all the political noises coming from its own and settle down to do the business of a ruling party that has just lost an election or a party waiting to be in government.

If the party is to lower itself to unnecessary political gimmick, it will not inure to their good and for that matter make an impact in future polls.

Now is the time for the NDC in opposition to stay united and devise functional strategies to remain very relevant in the governance process.

For instance, political parties in opposition are there to offer the nation their alternative plans for and to improve the good governance system.

The ruling NPP has a blue print and it is trying hard to fulfil its campaign promises even if in difficulty.

How is the NDC evaluating the performance of the current government and its ministers, its own members in Parliament and affairs as an opposition party to inure to its electoral fortunes.

What are therefore the NDC’s alternative solutions to meeting the needs of the citizenry?

How is it putting the ruling government on its toes to meet the expectations of Ghanaians?

Projects such as the one-district, one-factory; one-village, one-dam, one million dollar per constituency, railway expansion works, free Senior High School education, among others, are all priority projects for Ghanaians and the nation will be better off if they are achieved.

Kwesi Botchwey report

Fortunately for the NDC, the Dr Kwesi Botchwey Committee, commissioned to find out what went wrong with the NDC in the 2016 Election has come out with its findings and recommendations.

It is up to the party to adopt the report, fine-tune its findings and recommendations and chart a way forward for the NDC to prosecute its agenda of becoming a veritably responsible opposition political party.

This is what the Ghanaian electorate expect from an opposition party seeking the mandate of Ghanaians to rule.

Quibblings and squabblings send wrong signals and are definitely not the way for the NDC to go.

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