What delegates should consider during Saturday’s NPP parliamentary primaries

Once again we have arrived at another stage in our multi-party democratic process to elect Parliamentary Candidates to lead the ruling New Patriotic Party in the upcoming December 7, 2020 general elections.

This primaries to be held this weekend is quite unique especially from the last two when NPP was in opposition. Equally, the considerations to be made by delegates must be different to safeguard the NPP-led government. Simply put, “we have government to protect.”

The following are some of the essential considerations that delegates in all constituencies with sitting MPs must consider before casting their votes on Saturday, June 20, 2020.

1. That the NPP political party is in power now with President Nana Akufo-Addo as flagbearer seeking reelection to serve his second term.
2. That the NPP MPs who are also in their first term like the President, must be given the chance to lead the party for a second term in office. This will make the message of the party to seek Second Term for the President and his government meaningful to Ghanaian voters. Anything contrary will arm the opposition parties especially NDC, to aggressively advocate for the truncation of the President’s term to make him a one-term President. Since the Fourth Republican Constitution began in 1992, Ghanaians have come to terms with the belief that one term of 4 years is inadequate to demonstrate achievements of a President or a Member of Parliament. Many projects mature in the second term of an elected or appointed official, be it Executive or Legislature. The only exceptions are in situations where an MP or a President’s performance is abysmally poor or his actions wholly inimical to the agenda of the party, r where the sitting MP disregarded similar ethics during a previous election that brought him or her to power. The above notwithstanding, granting an MP or President a Second Term is extremely important especially for a party in power.
3. That monetary and material inducements should not override critical interests of the party’s success in the December general elections;
4. That the NPP party should remain united after the primaries to maintain the confidence the general public have in the ruling party to grant the second term.

NPP has vast electoral experience to conduct the upcoming elections creditably, and free of violence and acrimony. The delegates always prove to understand the dynamics in the party at different times. It is my fervent belief that delegates will take these factors espoused here into consideration in deciding who leads the constituencies into this year’s general elections for the victory of the ruling NPP.
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Written by Prof Peter Twumasi
(Political Research Consultant)