PPP restrategise for election 2016
The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has organised a meeting between its parliamentary candidate and the executive of the party to chat the way forward after the 2012 general elections.
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The meeting was aimed at having an introspection of how the party performed in the just-ended elections and to find better ways of presenting itself to the populace in future elections.
The National Chairman of the Party, Nii Allotey Brew-Hammond, said the meeting also offered the aspirants the opportunity to interact with the PPP’s Presidential Candidate, Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, and also to encourage them to strive for greater heights in their future political persuit.
He said the just-ended elections gave the PPP a chance to present its ideals and agenda for change to the general populace and was therefore hopeful that people would accept it in the nearest future for an effective change in the country.
“To all Ghanaians who want an alternate to the NDC and NPP, PPP offers leadership that is credible and appeals for your support”, he said.
He, therefore, called on the parliamentary candidates to keep alive the goal of putting self-reliant members into parliament in future and also provide the party an opportunity to train future leaders in the acquisition of leadership skills.
He said “as a demonstration of our determination to participate fully in the debate of ideas, we have suggested reforms intended to strengthen our electoral processes to the Electoral Commission for their consideration”.
Among the recommendations made to the EC were to put steps in place for the verification, documentation and auditing of campaign funding.
Regarding voting, it suggested that the Commission move to a fully electronic voting system among others.
The National Women’s Co-ordinator of the PPP, Ms Berlinda Bulley, called for a collective effort from all members and supporters of the party to help move it forward.
A member of the PPP’s Advisory Council, Mr Ladi Nylander, called on Ghanaians to watch the current trend of the country’s political history saying that “absolute power corrupts absolutely”, and that there was the need to discard the notion of winner takes all from the country’s politics.
None of the 211 PPP parliamentary candidates won any of the seats they contested for.
Adducing reasons, some of the candidates blamed their defeat on other parties using monetary influence to persuade the electorates.
According to one candidate, in one of her campaign rounds she was invited to talk to a church congregation and after parting with some monies as offertory, she was asked to “do something” for the head pastor so that he would pray for her.
Another candidate said the electorates would first demand what you have for them before they would talk to you.
According to them, the situation had become so because the electorates over the years had been influenced with cash and other gifts so although they would be polite to listen to you, they also want aspirants to give them gifts including cash before they vote for them.
One aspirant said he was giving all the assurances that he needed to hear but on the day of voting, he was disappointed in the outcome.
Aspirants spoken to however, said they would not give up as this was the party’s first attempt but they would continue to forge on till the electorates buys into their ideas.
Story by Rebecca Quaicoe-Duho