NPP Must Look At The Bigger Picture And Elect A Strong Candidate

Throughout history, there are people with mass appeal from within their fold and others with mass appeal which cuts across their fold. This is arguably the case of Margaret Thatcher, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Jerry John Rawlings, Bill Clinton et al. They enjoyed a cross-sectional appeal amongst their peers, which helped them to climb the ladder of authority as leaders of their respective countries.

If you are considered a strong character and you are fortunate to have the people who love you in the majority, you win the national elections. These are psychosomatic factors and facts that have continued to produce leaders till date.

The dynamics in our national politics is no different. It is an undeniable fact though debatable that no single political party has won elections based on its own core numbers. This belief was propounded by our two-time defeated party flag bearer, Nana Akufo Addo in 1998 where he said that 'Anybody who becomes the NPP's Presidential candidate has already secured 30% of the total valid votes. The rest - 20% plus 1, is what the candidate needs to work on to become the President. Failure to achieve this, demands a change in leadership'.

This assertion by Nana Akufo Addo continues to remain relevant in our political undertaking today. Like I have always stated, in as much as the strengthening of the party matters, the strength and personality of the candidate matters too. It is this workable formula that can deliver victory for our party in any national election.

A little bit of electoral facts and analysis will be useful to us in understanding the importance of electing a strong candidate for our party going forward.

John Agyekum Kufuor in the 2004 elections won with a 255,954 difference between his presidential votes and that of the total votes of the NPP parliamentary candidates. Whiles President Kufuor amassed a total vote of 4,524,074 that of the NPP MP's arrived at 4,268,120.

In 2008, during the first round of the general elections, Nana Akufo Addo had 4,159,439 and 4,478,411 respectively in the second around. The 230 NPP parliamentary candidates had 4,013,013 in total, which resulted in a 146,425 difference between their results and that of the Presidential candidate in regards to the first round.

The votes obtained in the second round (4,478,411) by Nana Akufo Addo produced a difference of 465,398 between his and that of the parliamentary candidates (4,013,013) combined.

However, the NPP independent MP candidates amassed a total votes of 132,375 and if considered, the difference between Nana Akufo Addo and the Parliamentary candidates in both the first and second round of elections amounted to 14,051 and 333,023 respectively.

Again, in the 2012 general elections, Nana Akufo Addo had 5,248,898, whiles the 275 parliamentary candidates garnered 5,248,862. The difference between them was a meager 36 votes.

Figures we are told does not lie, it is clear for all to see, especially those with an objective lens. It is imperative to state that any NPP Presidential candidate who is really popular and wants power should be able to garner more than 180,000 votes more than the total of the NPP MPS vote.

Similarly, Dr. Hilla Limann, though almost unknown even in Ghana and considered a political novice by some people, was elected President on the People's National Party (PNC) ticket.

He stood for the elections following the disqualification of Alhaji Imoru Egala by the then ruling Supreme Military Council and won 62% of the popular vote in the second round of voting.

Also, our current President of the Republic, John Mahama used only three (3) months to campaign as the NDC's presidential candidate and won one-touch, despite the rigorous 2yrs campaign waged by our former flag bearer, Nana Akufo Addo which included Listening, Restoration of Hope, and Thank You tours all over the country. Although it was contested at the highest court of the land, the judgment was not in our favor.

These few examples must enable us to embrace the obvious reality that the strength of candidates in any given election is a force to reckon. To be able to win national elections one must massively enjoy a cross-sectional appeal.

The NPP must engage in self-introspection and deliver a candidate that is winnable and suits the demands of broader Ghanaians.

We cannot continue to do the same things with same people and expect different results. It is time to move on with not just a new face, idea, energy and strategy but the best one. Let us think of someone who can deliver power in 2016 and not be clouded with emotional support which can only keep us in opposition.

What people must know is that people are not rejecting Nana Akufo Addo because they don't like him, though that may be the case of some. People are just looking at the bigger picture which is informing them of their choices.

There are only two outcomes in every election - it is either you win or lose. Have we wondered what will happen to the party if Nana Akufo Addo is presented once again and fails to deliver victory once more?

Let's think about the future of our party, let's think victory 2016.

Chief Obosu Mohammed
NPP Member, Mfantseman