Report by Nana POKU
Politician, businessman and a renowned social commentator, Akwasi Addai Odike has thrown a challenge to the struggling New Patriotic Party that given the chance, he can adequately help the party get out of its current distressed state.
The visibly disillusioned Odike unhappy with the current state of affairs of in-fighting and camp- pitching that is tearing the party apart. He cannot believe his eyes at the state of the party. Even though he claims he is not a member of the NPP, he has some friends in the party and likes the party so what happens to it is somehow dear to him.
“This is a party that had ruled Ghana in the last eight years and had suffered this humiliating defeat that has sent the party struggling to stand up and I am prepared to come out with workable solutions if am invited to do so,” he stated.
Mr Odike intimated that if any big man in the party invites him, he will readily prescribe practicable solutions that will rejuvenate the party and heal it from its current disturbing predicament.
He claims the truth must be told about the people who are behind the current state of the party who must be exposed to give healing to the ailing party.
“Let’s call a spade a spade. You sincerely know the person who have brought the party down onto its knees but nobody wants to talk about it.
“As a party you must point out people’s misdeeds and bad things that have hit hard against the party and if possible reprimand them to serve as a deterrent to others.
“It’s about time some of the party members spoke the truth because it is only truth that can heal the party,” he stated.
The party he said must sit down and do proper and deep-seated diagnosis and introspection to bring to a comfortable position to regain its consciousness.
“There is so much mistrust, personal interest, greed, indiscipline and disrespect for authority in the party as of now,” he stated.
According to him the party has been broken into factions and camps.
Each camp has its own entrenched interests and expectations and are not prepared to back down, making unity very difficult
“What is even worrying is that, party executives cannot exert their authority on the party and some candidates are blatantly flouting the party’s rules with impunity,” he stated.
He indicated that with this crisis it will be difficult for the party to win power in subsequent elections especially 2028, unless drastic action is taken to address the current impediments.
For instance he called for recalcitrant party camp leaders to be dismissed or disqualified if that will give peace and unity to the party and take time to rebuild the party no matter who the person is. This is because some aspirants are creating confusion and disaffection for the party in the eyes of the electorates and this is making the party unattractive.
He indicated that if these measures are not done, 2028 would be an illusion.
This is because some people want to destroy the party because of their parochial interest.
“The NPP I know is not the one I am seeing now. There are no elders or leaders who can stamp their authority on the party and now young men and women are tossing the party here and there with the view to cash in at the expense of the party but not to pursue the party’s interests and goals,” he stated.
He argued that the party needs open an heart surgery to detect all the ailments that are plaguing it to prescribe proper medicine for its healing.
“Nobody should be shielded or sidestepped for his role in the present condition of the party. The rod must whip all those responsible for its woes.
“I can suggest a model that can kill the current confusion of the top bottom approach method the party wants to use.
“Though I am in support of the top bottom approach, it can still be done in a different style to avoid chaos, and l have that model.
“This model will ensure single voting that will elect all party executives in all parts of the country and the flagbearer the same day!”
