The old order changes – the ending of an era

The NPP has just concluded a splendid conference. It is a surprise that some could contemplate the conference degenerating into ugly scenes. It is a surprise because such a thing is alien to the character of the NPP. Never has the NPP gone to Congress for it to degenerate into anything untoward. In my candid opinion, the speculations of doomsday were the results of the ill-wishes and ill-will of wishful thinkers.

Even before the dust has settled, our detractors are sensing danger. The danger they sense is the resolute will of the rank and file of our party to forge a new and solid unity to prosecute our 2012 agenda. Even before the first vote was cast some began casting aspersions on the legitimacy of officers to be elected. I wonder why? May I remind all and sundry that the legitimacy of the newly elected officers of the party does not lie with any individual's personal imagination or standards, but is conferred by the expressed collective wishes of the electorate through the ballot-box. The collective voice of the NPP has been heard loud and clear from Kumasi. That should be the end of the matter for the next four years. Unfortunately, some are not going to let it be for very simple reasons. They are only relevant when they keep the pot of controversy boiling. They must therefore look for all the opportunities, mostly imagined, to stir the hornet's nest.

Such was the way in which Ben Ephson played his early hand. In an interview with Kwame Sefa-Kayi on Monday, 1st March 2010 he put a new twist on his cherished factionalism analysis. Here is it. The Nana faction won all the positions except two. This threatens to alienate and marginalise the Alan faction with the result that it will deepen the already existing rift. To his mind, the only way to heal the existing factionalism is to “allocate” the appointed positions to the Alan faction in order to assuage their wounded sentiments, placate them and create a sense of inclusion.

This posture is very strange indeed, coming from one who dubs himself as a psychologist. I hope Ben Ephson understands that the act of voting is an expression of one's will or wish and that the outcome of an election is the collective expression of the will of the people. If this is so, then what Ben Ephson is admitting to is that the people of the NPP have overwhelmingly spoken. They have made it known to all and sundry as to where their minds and sentiments are. The question for Ben Ephson and the sentiment he represents is, are they willing to accept the verdict of the people? It is necessary to remind this syndicalism that one of the principal tenets of democracy is that the minority will have its say, but the majority must have its way. To continue to question, to continue to agitate, to continue to instigate and to continue to deny the majority its way, is to reject the voice of the people.

Second point. Ben Ephson believes that the placating of the “faction” that “lost” is the only way to achieve unity. I beg to differ. If the people spoke and clearly said that they do not want faction “X” to be in charge of their party's affairs for the next four years, who are we to turn around and sneak them through the back door. Ben Ephson knows that this will be defeating the wishes of the electorate. Can Ben Ephson, with a straight face, accept the argument that after an almost 50-50 election results in December 2008, the only way to ensure the continued unity of Ghana was for the NDC to “allocate” half of all ministerial positions to the NPP? Absolutely not!

If Ben Ephson's argument is that there are two factions and the only way of holding the party together is to ensure adequate representation of both factions on the national executive, then the quest for that balanced representation should not have been left to the chanced outcome of the electoral process. In that process, we all agree on the rules and regulations governing how the ball is to be bounced. We cannot control the direction in which the ball will bounce. The likes of Ben Ephson would have the NPP allocate half the positions to each faction and ask them to submit names from their respective camps to fill the allocated positions. To agree to submit the selection of party officers to the vicissitudes of the electoral process means one is willing to accept whatever the outcome may be and not complain about exclusion thereafter.

The voice of the people has been heard loud and clear. Maybe, the electorate paid heed to the message of the former General Secretary, Ohene-Ntow that he failed to deliver as General Secretary because he did not have a team he could work with. If that was indeed the case then the NPP voters have deliberately and consciously given us a team. Why should we attempt to dilute that now?

What the NPP went through last Saturday was not a token exercise to merely share out positions to factions. It was a serious and fundamental exercise to select the most competent people to be brought together to manage the affairs of the party. The operative word here is competence, and not placation.

Clearly, Ben Ephson does not have a good appreciation of why in setting our new Constitution, the NPP required that certain positions be appointed instead of being elected. For his edification, it was to give the Party the necessary leverage to effect certain strategic outcomes of managerial and electoral significance. For example, if we had failed to achieve the kind of legitimate regional balance desired through the electoral process, then the strategic objective would have been to use that leverage to achieve the desired redistribution. It is therefore reckless and naive to suggest that we diminish this powerful leverage to the level of placating someone who the collective will of the party has clearly said should not run the affairs of the party for the next four years.

In view of the criteria set out, the NPP is looking for competence and balance as our strategic objectives. No amount of feints and stampeding will goad us into decisions and actions that are not in the best interest of the party. If some from the Alan faction meet the criteria of balance and competence, then by all means they must be considered, but no one ought to be given a position as a consolation prize.

Credit: Kalakor Saamour
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