BREAKING THE EIGHT: The sacred line

I avoid the topic of succession because of its distractive tendencies, as a party faithful, I believe the focus at the moment should be on governance because that is what the Ghanaian people expect from the party.

Like death, succession is unavoidable because it must happen but I prefer not to meet it, I’ll let it come instead. I find it difficult to fathom when in the hurry to discuss succession, people talk of an imaginary ‘sacred line’ and solely on that basis, demand support for their choices.

Loyalty is not about longevity or who’s been around for how many years. It’s about who’s had the strength to hold on, who’s stayed with the team even when staying affected their interest.

The notion that there is a ‘sacred line’ in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and anyone who desires to lead the party must join it. That for me is infantile, moot, and dead on arrival. Our party, must reward loyalty and hard work and not exclusively. They say “it's not the days of a man that counts but what he’s achieved”

Some begun the journey from the days of the Danquah/Busia club, others joined after and more will join because the NPP is not just a party but a tradition, grounded in Ghanaian politics with freedom in development as our motto. You can't claim to be in a ‘sacred line’ with your hands in your pocket when all hands are supposed to be on deck. Even if there was a line, it was for those who put in work, not those who do ‘Siddon look’.

In the thick of NDC and their apologist's attacks, when there was an agenda to make this party unattractive, those claiming the line today watched as one name stood out, fighting the battles they ghosted, One name became a Ghanaian household name fighting the smear, lies, and propaganda. That is loyalty and hard work, not a ‘sacred line’.

That name like all others tick the boxes but that is a standout and also deserves the leadership of this party. Hard work must be given meaning in our party when succession is mentioned.

Abdul-Hak Iddrisu wrote this in Tamale and can be reached on [email protected] .