An aspiring flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Alan Kyerematen, has acknowledged the impact of the economic crisis on the party. That even though the incumbent government is working earnestly, the economic crisis is impeding the party’s ability to craft a campaign message ahead of the 2024 general elections.
He admitted that the ailing state of the economy will make it difficult for the NPP to convince Ghanaians to retain them in the next polls.
“President Akufo-Addo has done well, when the NPP came, there was no Free SHS, but we have brought it. We have also implemented the Planting For Food And Jobs, One District, One Factory, and a number of the policies, but we all know that times are hard.
“We are all in difficulty, we have worked hard but due to the economic hardship, our key message for campaigning as a party for the 2024 election has become difficult for us.”
Alan Kyerematen
Mr Kyerematen who was addressing the Sefwi Wiaso Traditional Council attributed the current crisis to successive governments discontinuing the policies of the predecessors.
“You see, one of our main challenges as a country is how successive governments abandon policies they inherit from another government. This is what has derailed our development efforts. So, I would wish that for the first time in the history of the country, allow the NPP to continue, so our policies can gain roots while we do away with the bad policies. If we mean well for the country this is what must happen.”
Alan Kyerematen
The flagbearer hopeful further urged the Chiefs to advise the delegates to select a leader who would be acceptable to the entire country in the upcoming party primaries. “The country is expecting a turnaround based on a big vision to be delivered with competence,” he said.
Delay In NPP Flagbearer Primaries Will Trigger Court Action
Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana (UG), Asah Asante, has warned the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to avoid court actions over undue delay with their presidential primaries.
His comments come on the back of NPP’s inability to decide on timelines for flagbearer and parliamentary elections after its National Council meeting held on February 02, 2023.
Earlier reports attributed to the Council said the party had set November 2023 to elect its presidential candidate, January 2024 to elect parliamentary candidates for constituencies with sitting NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) and April 2024 for constituencies without sitting NPP MPs.
But in a statement, the NPP said timelines for the internal polls were yet to be concluded. Commenting on the issue, Mr. Asante stated that most of the theories being churned out for earlier presidential primaries are not scientific.
“If you look at the NPP being people who uphold rule of law which I also believe, it is in their own interest to set a date and then begin the constitutional process in getting a flag bearer for their party. Because they know that when they fail some people will go to court and make sure that the rules are followed.
“There are rules for every engagement and I am not sure the party will want to circumvent any process. I can understand those who are calling for early congress and all that. You know their interest and I also know their interest.”
Dr. Asah Asante
He debunked the political theories that NPP getting a flag bearer will undermine the authority of the President.
He further explained that nobody can undermine the authority of the President so long as he continues to be within his tenure. So that argument does not come in. But the thing is that when a new flag bearer is elected now, that person has the power to get exposed to the public which will quicken his ability to begin with the planning of his campaign message and get acclimatized with the system.
“But the problem associated with it is that if you delay you are going to compound problems. Because governance comes with its own problem so the earlier you do this the better so that you can know that this is governance and this is flagbearership and all that.”
Dr. Asah Asante
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