NPP thinks it is relevant only with power – Kakra Essamuah

Political historian and member of the ruling National Democratic Congress, Mr. Kakra Essamuah says the New Patriotic Party is too interested in winning political power because it is the only way they think they can be relevant in the political system.

But that is an unfortunate situation for it should not be the case because political parties exist for other equally important considerations as prescribed by Article 55(3) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana.

Kakra Essamuah, who made the observation on Radio Gold 90.5 FM on Monday, said any time the NPP are not in power, they try all they can to want to share power.

“All that they are interested in is power so even though the next election is more than three years away, you heard Nana Akufo-Addo …, their next battle is 2016. Do you know whether God will give you life tomorrow? … They should be more interested in the welfare of the people of this country and they can make their contribution one way or the other without talking about elections 2016.”

He said that desire for power is foundational to the NPP’s latest letter asking the Council of State to accommodate the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) in advising the President in the appointment of the Chairman of the Electoral Commission and his deputies.

The NPP letter, signed by chairman Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, acknowledged that the “1992 constitution gives to His Excellency the President, acting on the advice of the Council of State, the power to appoint the Chairman, Deputy Chairmen and members of the Electoral Commission.”


The exercise of that power in the past, the letter noted, has been exercised without any consultation with the political parties, and given that the opposition party mainly sees the Council of State as an extension of the executive, the nation would be helped if the IPAC was allowed to make an input.

“This matter is urgent in view of the expected retirement in the near future of the Chairman of the E.C.,” the letter said.

But Kakra Essamuah said the NPP’s letter is only a follow up to another one written earlier by the party claiming it was not sure the EC could spearhead any meaningful electoral reforms and that the party was reacting so because it had suffered a shameful embarrassment after failing at the polls and at the Supreme Court to win political power.

And yet again, he said, those reactions have a history, for in 2009 just before then President John Kufuor handed over power to President Mills, the former addressed parliament during which he challenged the tenure of the EC chairman, asking that he be given a term of office either renewable at the pleasure of the president or he goes home.

Describing President Kufuor’s call as unfortunate, Kakra Essamuah said the EC chairman was appointed on same term as a Court of Appeal judge whose tenure terminates at age 70 or as prescribed by the constitution.

For making that suggestion, he said President Kufuor came across as the NPP wanting to be part of the system that appointed the EC chairman whether they were in government or not.  And but for power, the NPP could have demanded same for the chairmen of the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, the Lands Commission, the Auditor-General, the District Assemblies Common Fund Administrator, Public Service and several other bodies.

He expressed surprise that the NPP or anybody found the election petition viable at all, saying there is no example the world over where the courts succeeded in removing a sitting president duly elected.


Story by Isaac Yeboah/graphic.com.gh/Ghana