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16.10.2007 Editorial

So Far, So Wonderful

16.10.2007 LISTEN
By

So much water has passed under the bridge since the horde of New Patriotic Party (NPP) personalities presented themselves as possible candidates to bear the party's flag during the next general elections in the country.

By filing their nomination forms and even going ahead to launch their campaigns, they have individually crossed the Rubicon, an indication that there is no turning back on their desires.

Jostling to win the hearts of the delegates scattered across the country presents scenes of abrasiveness.

The overall interest of the party and the nation in particular should be paramount as aspirants strive to achieve this noble dream.
The countrywide criss-crossing, the media activities, the donations and many others by the aspirants are all part of the attributes of the game.

It all sounds a bit surreal because of the novelty in it. For a long time, we as Ghanaians have been denied this important aspect of democracy where people within the various political groupings try their luck at winning the nod of the majority of the Electoral College.

In other political groupings, such jockeying has been characterized by near blood-letting and horsewhipping.

Military interventions et al have not allowed us to practice and perfect the beautiful and world-acclaimed democratic system of governance.

Whether we like it or not, and no matter what the adversaries of democracy say about it, the unfolding trends are still poles apart from military dictatorships and pseudo-democracies.

The latter was what we witnessed in this country for a long time when juntas transformed themselves overnight into what was presented to us as a democracy.

Today, in spite of the shortcomings in the NPP, a trail is being blazed by the ruling party for others to emulate.

We are pleased at the unfolding trend which, no doubt, is giving us the opportunity to blunder and correct ourselves as we tread along the path of democratic governance.

It is outlandish to expect us to do as well as those who have embraced this system for the past century or so.

We have noted though that what in the early days of the campaigns of the NPP aspirants appeared to look like abrasiveness, has given way to open decency.

Indeed, the counsel of the party elders has been embraced by the aspirants and it shows in their countrywide campaigns.

During the Eid El Fitr celebration in Nima, Vice President Aliu Mahama and Nana Akufo-Addo, two significant aspirants met and relished the occasion.

The inherent message from their interaction is a pointer to the fact that the commonness of political desire should not create a schism between aspirants.

The initial dirty text messages which nearly threw spanners into the works to build mistrust among the aspirants, have thankfully given way to what looks like decent politics.

We pray that the trend continues as the country inches towards the December H-hour.

It is our belief that the “do-or-die” stance which the elders advised against would be thrown overboard.

There is nothing wrong with striving to serve your country, especially if you think you have something special up your sleeves.

But indeed, if the Electoral College decides against the wish of an aspirant, we think that sleeping dogs must be allowed to lie and slumber.

For now we pray that the trail blazing effort will continue on the political terrain until a winner, according to the delegates' decision, emerges.

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