Consensus-Building Is A National Duty Imposed On Both The NPP And The NDC Per The Outcome Of The 2020 Elections

By Hon. Francis Addai-Nimoh || Former Member of Parliament, Mampong Constituency || Former NPP Presidential Aspirant

I use this opportunity to congratulate the NPP for winning the 2020 presidential elections with a one-touch victory. The victory is a celebration of the efforts of our gallant grassroots supporters who worked day and night to ensure this important victory. Kudos, to our hardworking unsung heroes!

In spite of the successes chalked by the NPP, the 2020 elections appear to have changed the face of the usual politics of Ghana. The historic outcomes of 2020 elections may become a permanent feature of our politics going forward or it could only be a fluke. This contemplation of permanence or transience of the historic outcomes of the 2020 elections is better resolved by time. And so, I, like many, leave it to time.

I see a silver lining in all of the outcome of this deadlock-like election despite my instinctive proclivity to a total NPP victory. In other words, while I would love to see a dominating NPP parliament in addition to an NPP presidential victory, the outcomes as they stand now, which is a paradigm shift from the otherwise domineering political space, provide us an opportunity to build a national consensus on matters of development.

As rightly intimated by the President, HE Nana Akufo-Addo, and I associate fully with same, going forward, the NPP and the NDC must find a middle-ground on all matters. Who is the ultimate beneficiary of an NPP-NDC consensus? The ordinary Ghanaian. What has happened is a humiliation of partisanship – a clear signal the Ghanaian people have sent to we those in the higher echelons of politics. The President was thus spot on on calling for a parliament that works together for the good of Ghanaians.

Right Hon Alban Sumana Bagbin, the Speaker of Parliament, has given his word not to make parliament an obstructive institution. I am sure he will live by his word. He must not allow partisan influences to hold sway over reasoning guided by ultimate national interest. Yes, he comes from the NDC stock, but that should not for example, lead him to frustrate good government policies. What should guide Mr Speaker is that, if say – he frustrates a policy of ‘water provisioning’, his people back home will not be happy with him. As the Akans say – “if a bad priest says the town should destroy, he lives in it too”. I trust Mr Speaker to put national interest ahead of partisan consideration.

It is refreshing that the NDC is in court challenging the outcomes of the elections. In some constituencies as well, the NPP is challenging the EC’s declaration in favour of NDC PC aspirants. This route of litigating elections outcomes is what eluded some African countries and plunged them into catastrophic wars. Hurray, we in Ghana are lucky that our political parties, in this case, the NDC, is using constitutionally sanctioned procedure to ventilate its concerns about the elections. While I commend the NDC for this, I must highlight the precedent-setting approach of the NPP on a similar matter in 2012. Indeed, the unholy use of violence to ventilate electoral disagreements have been completely dwarfed by the use of the constitutional process for redress. At this point, I ask the parties involved to accept whatever may be the verdict of the courts as the NPP did in 2012.

Ghana is the biggest political party which we all join. To live harmoniously in the political party called Ghana, and to serve its interest, all must eschew partisan parochialism. When I look into the crystal ball, I see a united Ghana under this new paradigm in which all citizens are bent on contributing their quota for national development. We need good roads, healthcare, education, etc and that’s why we must work collectively to achieve these. An utopian society is possible where consensus is given a chance.

Let all NPP members rally firmly behind the President, for his legacies will be the bedrock for future NPP victories. 2024 is not too far from now, I see a good future!

Hon Francis Addai-Nimoh

Former Member of Parliament, Mampong Constituency/ Former NPP Presidential Aspirant

18 Jan 2024

Source: Kwabena Frimpong – Contributor

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