When Individual Parochial Interests Override The Interest Of The Party: The Party Goes Through Struggles

Admittedly, in life, everyone has their own interests, and that is understandable. Every individual has aspirations, preferences, and ambitions they seek to pursue.

In politics, the same logic applies. Every party member may have their own interests, and that is natural.

However, what is troubling is the extent to which such individual and parochial interests are allowed to override the collective interest of the Party. When that happens, the Party inevitably goes through struggles.

Indeed, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is a great party built on tradition, sacrifice, and collective effort. It did not become strong because individuals pursued their selfish interests, but because generations of patriots subordinated their personal ambitions for the greater good of the Party.

Today, we are witnessing a worrying trend where personal ambitions are being placed above party unity.

Individual preferences are being marketed as more important than party cohesion. Loyalty to individuals is gradually replacing loyalty to the Party.

When parochial individual interests take centre stage:

1. Unity suffers. The Party becomes sharply divided along camps and factions, each pulling in a different direction.
2. Discipline erodes. Members feel emboldened to disrespect structures and decisions because they believe their individual interests must prevail at all costs.
3. Victory becomes difficult. A divided front cannot win a united battle, and the 2024 election experience should be a lesson to us all.

Instructively, no individual is bigger than the Party. No ambition is more important than the survival and success of the NPP. Personal interests must be pursued within the framework of party interest, not at its expense.

If we truly love the NPP and want to see it recapture and return to power in 2028, we must learn to sacrifice our parochial interests for the collective good.

We must support party decisions, respect party structures, and rally behind the Party's chosen leadership geared towards victory in 2028.

In summary, the Party goes through struggles not because our opponents are stronger, but because we allow our own internal parochial interests to weaken us from within.

The time to put the Party first is now.
Long live NPP!
By: Abdulai Abdul-Razak
Writer / Former Tamale South Constituency Communications Officer, NPP

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