Dynamics in NPP National Chairmanship race; the Blay factor

The national delegates elections of the New Patriotic Party present an exciting moment for candidates to evaluate what it is they are truly offering the people. The campaign will help them to strengthen their relationships with voters.

So far, three personalities have captured the cameras as they declared their intentions to contest for the office of the national chairman. They include Mr. Freddie Blay (Acting National Chairman), Mr. Stephen Ntim (former Vice Chair) and Alhaji Short (Upper West regional chair).

For delegates to make an informed decision, there’s urgent need to look at what will do the magic for each of the candidates in the upcoming elections.

Mr. Freddie Blay, is the Acting National Chairman of the NPP. Mr. Blay offers a stream of experiences. His experiences transcend ordinary politician. Mr. Blay is a successful business person, an astute lawyer and a dynamic politician.

In any political contest, some people will be placard waving protagonists standing in the rain. Some of Mr. Blay’s contenders in utmost insincerity attempt to label him as a CPP member. The point is that he was a CPP man but later saw the light and joined the NPP.

His political history matches with the political history of many leading political figures in this country. Former President Kufuor was once a minister under the PNDC and President Nana Addo was once a member of the CPP.So, the argument that Blay is a CPP man is definitely below the belt.

Mr. Freddie Blay has an enduring collaboration with the NPP. The NPP through this collaboration never filed a parliamentary candidate in the Ellembele Constituency, but the party enjoyed Freddie Blay’s support in parliament throughout his life as an MP.

My knowledge of who is a member of a political party is one who bears the party’s membership card, remain loyal to the party and pays his dues. Mr. Freddie Blay is a member of the NPP in good standing.

Then comes the time dynamic. The argument has shifted from Blay being a CPP man to him (Blay) being new in the NPP. So, some competitors have adopted the ‘time asu’ mantra.

In my candid opinion, this argument is destructive and must be treated with contempt. I personally think that the party hierarchy and members should crash this devilish move. This is an in-house contest and allowing such thing has the tendency of denting the party’s image as a national political party.

The NPP as a party has done marvellously well to clear the perceived ‘Akan’ tag put on it by political opponents. Therefore, any act that suggests that 'some people deserve it more than others' must be abandoned.

There are examples of people who even became presidents on the ticket of political parties but were not the longest serving party members.

I think the NPP should be interested in who delivers good results at national elections. So, the issue of when a candidate joins the party and where a candidate hails from is unnecessary. Let the party continue with the democratic values than this perceived dynasty system. It's super alien to the NPP.

Mr. Freddie Blay has been an MP and knows how to collaborate with the party structures to safeguard the party’s number of MPs in parliament. He has been a First Vice Chair and now acting National Chairman. His experiences go beyond just a region. He’s not an amateur to be tried. He did it in 2016, the crucial moment for the NPP. Freddie Blay will do it again in 2020 and beyond! Giving his nature, chairman Blay is the right man for the job. He brought hope when the NPP lost hope in 2016. Blay is widely accepted by all and this explained why he was able to bring everybody on board to rekindle the spirit within the NPP and among Ghanaians in general.