NDC Minority Leadership for the 7th Parliament brouhaha (Opinion)

The outcome of the 2016 presidential and parliamentary elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is one of shock and disbelief for key political watchers and analysts.

The nature of the defeat leaves the most ardent activists of the party and sympathisers alike scratching their heads in search of answers if not the solution to this mind-boggling puzzle.

For those of us who were living witnesses to the party’s defeat in the year 2000, we are in a very unique position to proffer some pieces of advice particularly as it relates to the future of this great political machine called the NDC.

Therefore, as the NDC embarks on soul searching and introspection, one of its largest political fortunes in galvanizing support in waging a comeback in 2020, rests heavily on how its parliamentarians perform in the 7th Parliament of the Fourth Republic.

The NDC has a blend of talent with the required intellectual and technical quality among the newly elected Members of Parliament. However, for the NDC Minority in parliament to glitter and hit the parapet will require a strong sense of unity of purpose and the striking of the required chemistry among all the segments.

The only way to attain this unity and cohesion in order to hold the feet of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to the fire demands high levels of transparency, collective consultation among the leadership of the Party and the Members of Parliament.

To this end, a very astute, sharp, and meticulous minority leadership acceptable to both the generality of the Party and more importantly the elected Members of Parliament should be a key driver. A well balanced and thoughtful selection is what the NDC in parliament needs in order to inspire in them the needed confidence, energy and strength to play forth the noble but critical role against incipient abuse of NPP majoritarian intolerance and its likely consequences of constitutional despotism.

Even before the Seventh Parliament swings into action come January 7th next year, it appears there is jostling for who makes it to the leadership of the NDC Minority in Parliament in the media; creating discomfiture in and among the elected members.

Sources of information by the media are not clearly defined except for allusions being made to the Party leadership. The resort to the media by certain faceless elements in the Party to fly kites and to test public opinion among party faithful can create confusion and disorganise the incoming minority front in Parliament. I would imagine that more matured and reasoned procedures will be followed in the selection of those who make up the minority leadership in Parliament.
It will be apt, therefore for the views of the following categories of persons to be sought going forward.

• The outgoing President and leader of the NDC.
  The views of the Council of Elders, most importantly the founder or founding father of the Party depending on which terminology suits ones’ ear.                     The out-going NDC MPs.
  Regional leaderships of the Party should be asked to interface with their elected MPs before submitting proposed names to national leadership for further deliberation.
  Above all a dialogue with all elected MPs on the subject matter is crucially important.

These when done should create transparency and oneness of purpose as well as generating a needed working energy among the incoming minority Members of Parliament. What is out there in the media which has taken a life of its own is very much speculative and if left the way the issue is trending, may leave in its wake wrong perceptions of imposition of some persons on the elected members making up the minority side in Parliament; leading to pre-judgements even before the selection process starts as well as possible resentments at a time when members are expected to be a cohesive force with oneness of purpose in holding the government of the day in check.

Should the NDC stakeholders discharge this function of selecting leadership for its minority side in Parliament efficiently, it would give confidence assurance to the rank and file of the NDC that election 2020 would be exciting and eventful. We must be mindful that situations when in government are very different from when in opposition and so certain actions before they are taken must follow intense reflection and deliberation.

The coming year will be politically eventful so we must hold and bond together.

LONG LIVE THE NDC!

RICHARD QUASHIGAH
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
KETA CONSTITUENCY