Aisha Hassan, a member of National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) Communications team, has stated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) always engages in violence, whether it is during internal or public elections.
She referred to the NPP’s Super Delegates Conference and said that there had been a lot of violence there, including assaults on people, and therefore, suggested that the NPP needed to take a seat and examine the party carefully.
Additionally, the NDC communications team member claimed that the NPP would never be able to conduct a peaceful election because the party lacked in certain areas and was flawed.
“This is just a Super Delegates Conference…The main election or conference is yet to come off, yet, we are seeing all sort of assaults. People are being battered here and there and it’s rather unfortunate. They are supposed to be the big wigs of the party, so we didn’t expect that. We expected that everything will go on well, they will select their 5 and then move on to their final stage.
“But unfortunately, it is very characteristic of the NPP, and we’ve seen and heard of violence. So when? How long are they going to continue this way? Is that the best way for their candidates to be elected? You see, if it happens like this, at the end of the day, it causes dissatisfaction amongst whoever thinks he’s being treated unfairly. Because we saw and heard the outbursts of other candidates and their supporters. And clearly, if you had to chase agents away, if you had to beat up other people’s agents, then I would at the end of the day say the elections haven’t been free and fair.”
Aisha Hassan
Also, Aisha Hassan noted that while she did not have any recommendations for the NPP, she stated that the procedure the party uses to select its flagbearer was superfluous. She averred that the party could not be held accountable because the fact that 10 persons picked up ballots for the Presidential elections, demonstrated how little trust people still had in the NPP’s system.
She disclosed that the candidates had lost faith in the system and had been preaching mainly about how they would do better and reform the system through an alternate offer. Furthermore, she said there was undoubtedly going to be violence, if ten people decided to ran in an election for a flagbearer position.
She added that, in her opinion, it would have been preferable if the NPP had merely held a conference to select its flagbearer, as opposed to going through numerous procedures. “Because if the big wigs of the party can go into an election and it will turn out this way, what will happen if the grassroot now join to vote?”, she questioned.
Constitutions Are Subject To Amendment
In reference to assertions that the NPP’s Super Delegates Conference was constitutional, Aisha Hassan stated that a party’s constitution is subject to amendment, once things are not going on well with the party.
“So, if you have a constitution that says A and you realize that the A that is used, is not going to inure to the benefits of the party, you go and sit down, take a second look at it, and amend it. You are seeing the fallouts, the violence here and there. So, I think its time they sit down and look at themselves.”
Aisha Hassan
She alleged that it was “wild” for a Presidential candidate to publicly threaten the President and his Vice President.
“Considering what we all saw; you can’t just say its subjective. And this is an election…and he went on to say that his agent had been chased out and that he is going to give the President and his Vice a showdown. And you see, he’s a symbolic person and he has a lot of followers. If he’s threatening to have a showdown, what do you think his followers will do? It’s a way of even inciting his followers.
“He’s inciting them and you can imagine what will happen on the main elections. This is clearly more than the Russia-Ukraine war. And you have to be really prepared for it. I think the Ghana Police should send a lot of personnel there to protect the people.”
Aisha Hassan
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