Political science lecturer, Prof Ransford Gyampo, has cautioned flagbearer aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), not to allow the outcome of the party’s super delegates conference scheduled for August 26, 2023, make them complacent.
According to him, the onus falls on the eventual winner to remain focused on the task ahead of the party in winning the bigger elections in December next year. He revealed that the caliber of people, being the delegates, who are going to vote tomorrow, pales in comparison to those who are at the grassroots.
“So, it’s the majority of the voters who are also at the grassroots and so what is important is let’s see what happens tomorrow. But at the end of the day, it is the majority of the sum total of expected voters who will be voting to determine who leads as flagbearer. One may be scared in tomorrow’s race, but it is possible that the person can have a message that will resonate with majority of the voters, particularly those at the grassroots and come out as first… So, tomorrow cannot be a done deal at all. Whatever position one comes up tomorrow, will not mean anything and it will also not have to ingrain complacency in the psyche of anyone. There will be a lot of work to be done until the battle is over.”
Prof Ransford Gyampo
NPP’s super delegates conference
Commenting on whether there will be any surprises in the outcome of the election, Prof Gyampo stated that he does not expect any. He reckoned that the delegates who would be deciding on who must lead the party as flagbearer, have decided for themselves already.
“The various aspirants, I think have gone to the delegates and have given them their message. I want to believe that given the nature of the elections that are going to be held, and the fact that so many interventions or rules have been put in place to ensure that the voters vote according to their conscience, I want to believe that they have decided already in their minds, so I do not expect to see much surprises.”
Prof Ransford Gyampo
Furthermore, Prof Gyampo expressed that those who make it through to the next stage of the election process does not matter as much as the one who emerges as the flagbearer of the party. He explained that tomorrow’s election is just a curtain raiser, and that the outcome of tomorrow’s elections will mean nothing as far as he is concerned.
“Whoever is first, second, third, fourth or fifth will still have a lot of work to do. For me, it is beyond what will happen tomorrow that will really matter in determining the electoral fortunes of the flagbearer hopeful.”
Prof Ransford Gyampo
Touching on whether aspirants who have occupied governmental positions should be allowed to participate and whether they have the right message, Prof Gyampo noted that it depends on the message that will be given by the various aspirants. He highlighted that the decision by delegates should be based on the message of the various aspirants, and not because of a position they occupy in government.
“So, if you’re part of government or have been in government, and things are not working well in Ghana, how do you extricate yourself from the blame and what did you do differently in government or what are you doing that can be seen as different from what the current government is doing?… It’s the message that the aspirants have given to the delegates that will feature in determining who must be given the nod. I must say that all the aspirants have the pedigree to lead the party, but at the end of the day, one of them will emerge victorious…”
Prof Ransford Gyampo
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