Right Parties (Birds), Wrong Feathers (Candidates).

Ghanaians president for the last fourty years have always been elected from one of the three main parties viz, NDC, NPP and CPP with the later at a distant third. Unless there is a real third force, the first two would always have a fields day when it comes to elections. NDC and NPP have come to be accepted as the two main forces (birds) but about ninety five percent of the crowded field of commander-in-chief wannabes are the wrong ones (feathers).

In recent times and in most countries, the vice-president always takes the position of the president when his/her term of office is over just to continue from where the former left off and to build on the stronger base already existing. I am not in any way rooting for the vice-president but common sense should tell us that. One would say in the interest of democracy every Ghanaian who is rich is allowed to enter into this competition. I agree with the dignose on democracy but donot agree with the prescription on richness.Simply put most of them don't have what it takes to be a president of a country (mental capacity). Rhetoric is cheap and easy but the country needs people or candidates who have the backbone to offer specifics.They should know that they are entering a trecherous swirl of political currents and must know how to navigate. The NPP party is currently overrun with self-centered "me thinkers" and some of the candidates have started sounding the holy horns of piety when in actual fact they are liars and cheaters. The report cards on some of them are not good.The way they amassed their wealth in this short time is very questionable.

It's not the load that breaks a country down but the way it's citizens carry the load. The voters in Ghana go to the polls with two main things in mind. The person's cultural background and religion. Ethics which should have been the most important factor is left on the back burner. Some of the aspiring presidential candidates have started their campaigns based on that and majority of Ghanaians are buying into that which is a big mistake. The question is if we neglect ethics, but concentrate or embrace cultural background (tribe) and religion in choosing who leads the country, what would be the pre-disposition of some people or religion to the leadership when that person begins to lead?. Ghanaians don't pause to critically appraise the validity of what thses competitors say during campaigns but simply accept the bromide as truism.The politics of division and demonization has to stop now if we are to solve the challenge we face today. We need real politics and programmes that would restore a viable balance (parity) in our lives. The presidency can't be something one pursues on the basis of vanity and ambition. It really requires a certain soberness and seriousness. Great leadership is not about the ability to fool the masses or control the minds of the populous, but rather it's about the ability to represent the people (to have values, convictions, liberty etc).

The much talked about number of candidates for NPP is bad news for the party. It suggests a lack of enthusiasm and esprit. NPP is going to break down under it's own heavy load if it does not choose wisely. Peel back the label of all the top contenders from each of the numerous parties and they want you to see three words in big, bold letters "me, myself and I". Any person who would be able to play his cards well irrespective of the tainted past is going to get the nod to represent his party.This tells Ghanaians that no one party has a monopoly on truth.

NDC has also flunked again. Why they opted for Mr, Mills is beyond my comprehension. There is no denying that the man is clever in politics but he has past his sell by date.Another person should have been allowed to represent the party with fresh ideas. If they loose again, they should know that they shot themselves in the foot.If we are to change the country from a land often ruled by incompetent people and avoid nepotism, then we must send the right people to do the job and forget about the back ground or the richness.

Seth Bonsu (Denver-USA)

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