NDC consolidates internal democracy
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) last Saturday held its congress to elect new national executives to lead the party into the 2016 elections.
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The campaign was fierce and characterised by a number of allegations, including the use of money to influence voting.
Some people had expressed the fear that the congress might end up in chaos, but that did not happen. In fact, it was peaceful, providing the delegates the opportunity to decide the direction of the party.
Indeed, the peaceful nature of the congress has given ample impetus to our national resolve to stay committed to the path of multi-party democracy.
The elections have produced substantial changes that the Daily Graphic believes are the expectation of majority of NDC members.
What is needed now is the cessation of hostilities that might have occasioned the campaigning and the forging ahead towards Election 2016.
In that vein, the promise by the new Chairman, Mr Kofi Portuphy, to unite the party is in order, since that is the major task on his shoulders.
More importantly, the focus and commitment of the NDC should be towards a clean campaign for the 2016 polls, devoid of negative practices such as incitement to violence, needless accusations and allegations, acts that threaten national peace and harmony, as well as other tendencies that challenge national security and cohesion.
The beauty of democracy lies in its counted maturation where sub-standard acts committed in previous elections are avoided and the system given a new lease of life.
That is why the Daily Graphic expects all the political parties to assist the Electoral Commission (EC) to carry out the needed electoral reforms.
The peace and security of many countries, especially in our sub-region, have been disturbed as a result of disputed elections.
We should resolve in Ghana never to go along that path and that we can sustain the peace if all Ghanaians resolve to work towards free and fair elections at all times.
Incidentally, it is not by coincidence that the NDC is in power, and that places enormous responsibility on it to create the enabling environment that engenders national harmony and promotes peace.
We should prove to the whole world that it is not a fluke that Ghana is being touted as the bastion of stable democratic governance and political tolerance in Africa.
We can attain better laurels as a nation if we make conscious efforts at enriching the process by making progress election after election.
That huge responsibility rests on the NDC and the other political parties. They all owe it to the sustenance of democracy.
They also owe it to the entrenchment of peace and harmony and, above all, to the good people of Ghana.
Meanwhile, the Daily Graphic congratulates the newly elected officers and wishes those who lost better opportunities next time.