Political parties demonstrated their resolve to promote multi-party democracy when last Saturday they showed up in unity with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at its National Delegate Conference in Tamale.
Solidarity messages
The General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, advised the delegates to conduct themselves well, since the "whole world was watching them."
According to him, the success of the congress would determine whether or not Ghana would move a step further in her democratic dispensation.
He noted that illustrious sons and daughters serving in all parts of the world would be proud to hear the successful outcome of the congress, adding that "you must show that the NPP is a democratic party so that when you get the opportunity one day to rule Ghana again, the people will take you seriously."
He further entreated losers of the elections to accept defeat and those who would win to celebrate their victory in moderation.
The General Secretary of the People's National Convention (PNC), Mr Bernard Mornah, said the PNC would be formidable in 2016 and therefore called on the NPP to support it when the time came, as it did for the NPP in 2000.
Other fraternal messages were from the Convention People's Party (CPP), the Progressive People's Party (PPP), the United Front Party (UFP), the National Democratic Party (NDP) and delegations from Germany and Cote d'Ivoire.
The conference was held on the theme: "Our Roots, our strength our future.”
Skirmishes
Although the National Delegates Conference of the NPP largely ended successfully at the Tamale Sports Stadium, there were moments of skirmishes, tensions and anxieties that nearly marred its beauty. It also started about two hours late.
Apart from allegations and counter-claims of vote buying by some of the candidates, particularly those who vied for the chairmanship and secretaryship positions there were also open campaigns and casting of insinuations by the sympathisers of some of the contestants, which nearly led to fisticuffs.
Moments before the congress, a man believed to be in his late 30s, who looked tipsy, walked about campaigning for Mr Owusu Afriyie as he wantonly insulted the other competitors.
During the voting process, Mr Owusu Afriyie himself was spotted campaigning and casting aspersions at his opponents. His actions almost brought proceedings to a temporary halt, but for the timely intervention of the police.
Before the actual conference could commence, there was also a scuffle between the director of elections of the NPP, Mr Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah and a certain gentleman who at a point violently shoved Mr Korsah after he had hot exchanges with him for several minutes at the VVIP car park.
Incumbent Women's Organiser, Ms Otiko Afisa Djaba, who retained her position, also engaged in a verbal brawl with her main contender, Ms Tina Mensah.
A misunderstanding between the polling agents of the two aspirants led to the two women engaging in a serious verbal confrontation. Calm was later restored after interventions by the security and some party members.
According to the programme, the congress was supposed to have started at 10 a.m. but it commenced at 12 noon.
