Politics, says Hans Morgenthau, is the “naked” struggle for power. When there is opportunity to struggle for power with a political opponent, it is expected that every weapon within the candidate’s arsenal must be brought to bear. That is understandable. Indeed, that is expected.
And one weapon that has been used within the “Elephant” party for some time now is: “It is our turn” – meaning our candidate has waited in the wings for too long, and it is now his turn to lead the New Patriotic Party. Then candidate Akufo-Addo used this mantra effectively in the run-up towards 2008 elections against his opponents within his party and had become successful in that he managed to become his party’s flag bearer. Indeed, he used this same weapon in all subsequent internal contests. Somehow, the delegates bought into such reckless argument. Nobody queried the candidate’s ideas. Nobody cared about what he stood for. It was his turn; and the matter was settled.
But this approach to choosing leaders is flawed. Politics, we should all be reminded, is the marketplace of competing ideas. And it should not be different with us in the NPP even though it may favor our candidate. A candidate must be chosen based upon the ideas he brings to the table, his experience and his record.
I do not think the people who support Alan should have any fear not to use the “it is our turn” factor in their attempt to get their candidate to become the next NPP candidate. No serious political party uses such an approach to choose their leaders. If the British Conservative Party were to use the queue approach in choosing their leader, somebody like David Cameron would have been nowhere near Number 10 Downing Street. If this approach was used in the Democratic Party of the United States, people like Bill Clinton and Barak Obama would never have had the opportunity to lead their country.
Political leadership is serious business; and in a country like Ghana where nothing seems to work, it should be about compelling visions. It should be about the articulation of the ideas of how to bring hope to the despondent and discouraged youth of today.
If the Alan Camp is serious about marketing their candidate, they should talk about issues. And the issues on the mind of Ghanaians are corruption and impunity of offending officials, youth unemployment and filth. On all these fronts, Mr. Alan Kyeremateng has a compelling record that sets him apart from the pack. He has served under two presidents and there is no hint – not even a whisper – that he has ever been part of a corrupt deal. He has been in the forefront of very innovating and revolutionary ideas like modernization and industrialization of the cassava farming, One District One Factory,
Alan should fight for the candidacy based on ideas, track record and experience. At the end of the day, that is what will assure Ghanaians that something different is coming. That is the hope and comfort Ghanaians are looking for.
