The NPP Thank You Tour: Opportunity in the midst of trials

The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP’s) on-going post-election nationwide Thank Your Tour, though well intentioned, has unfortunately generated some controversy and confrontations within the party, provoking some party stalwarts and sympathizers to raise serious concern.

The use of spiteful language and the outbreak of clashes between supporters of perceived factions have heightened calls for a suspension of the exercise to ease tensions and safeguard party unity.

Some have even questioned the relevance of a Thank You Tour, given the party’s disastrous defeat in the 2024 elections. 

Postive initiative

All notwithstanding, my humble and sincere view is that the Thank You Tour remains a very positive and valuable initiative, worth sustaining  

The Bible instructs that, In all things, give thanks to God. Therefore, losing an election cannot be an excuse to renege on our duty to render gratitude to God.

Nor does our losing erase the hard work and sacrifice of countless party faithful and followers who poured their sweat and tears into the difficult campaign, as did numerous chiefs and opinion leaders across the length and breathe of this country who stood firmly with us.

The Thank You Tour offers a platform to express our earnest appreciation for their loyalty as well as apologize unreservedly for any disappointments.      

While the defeat we suffered was very devastating, our destiny as a political party depends on how fast we uplift ourselves and bounce back stronger and more resilient. The Thank

You Tour, is an effective first step in this crucial process of regrouping to boost grassroots morale and initiate the political renewal necessary for the restoration of public trust and confidence in the New Patriotic Party. 

Lessons/ Scope of exercise

Yet, the Thank You Tour can also quickly become a double-edged sword as recent unpleasant incidents within the party have shown.

From the onset, in a commendable attempt to project internal unity, the 2024 flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, graciously invited his previous co-contenders for the party’s presidential candidacy to accompany him on the exercise.

Regrettably, unguarded utterances from some speakers on the platform undermined this noble objective, and instead, fueled confusion and scandalous trading of insults on social media which has resulted in some candidates pulling out from the tour. 

Worrying as this development is, we should not throw out the baby with the bathwater and condemn The Thank You Tour outrightly.

However, serious lessons must be learnt.

The purpose and scope of the exercise must be clearly defined to avoid the temptation of going overboard to engage in all sorts of extraneous activities which are counterproductive to our objectives.

Right now, our primary focus must be rebuilding a stronger, more resilient and vibrant New Patriotic Party positioned for victory in the very near future.

It begins with reconciliation, coming together in spite of our differences, in a spirit of cooperation and greater commitment to the ideals of our great party.

Because what unites us is bigger than what divides us.

We must begin the honest conversations necessary for forgiveness and healing without which any efforts at rebuilding the party will be false.

This drive for internal unity must also be one of the urgent tasks of the Thank You Tour.

Although, it began on a somewhat negative discordant note, it can conclude positively on a harmonious tone, where members of all perceived factions and persuasions align together in unity, to speak with one loud clear voice.

Prof. Oquaye’s report

As part of the rebuilding effort, many within the party are requesting for the release of at least the recommendations of the Professor Aaron Micheal Oquaye’s report, commissioned to investigate the reasons for the NPP’s abysmal performance in the recent general elections.

While I appreciate party leadership’s position that a wholesale public release of the report is strategically unwise, I believe strongly that sharing at least, a summary of the recommendations with a wider community of party stakeholders will serve a useful purpose.

It will form a concrete basis for any recommendations for amendments of our constitution and galvanise us to pull together with a common determination and a common purpose to rise to the challenge of doing all that is necessary to rebuild a vibrant and solid party, enriched with lessons from history.

Our great party, the NPP, deserves and demands this of us, as leaders and members. Long live the New Patriotic Party. Long live Ghana.

The writer is the immediate past National Treasurer, NPP