Issah Alhassan
1 July 2009
Kumasi — A FOUNDING Member of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. George Ayisi-Boateng, has jumped to the defense of the embattled National Chairman of the party, describing calls for his resignation as highly unwarranted and untenable.
According to the NPP founding member, who is also the Manager of the Asafo Goil Filling Station, it would be unfair for anyone to call for the head of the party's national chairman simply because he failed to lead the party to victory in the 2008 elections.
There have been numerous calls by activists of the opposition party for the removal of the national chairman, who they accuse of being partially responsible for the defeat of the party.
His accusers cite, among other reasons, certain unilateral decisions taken by the chairman during the party's parliamentary primaries held last year and perceived constant clash of interest between him and the General Secretary of the party, Mr. Ohene-Ntow, as some of the factors which led to the defeat of the party to its bitterest rival, the NDC, in the December 2008 elections. Even though the beleaguered chairman has publicly declared he would not be seeking re-election when the party goes for congress next year to elect its national executives, there have been calls for his resignation and an interim management committee put in place to steer the affairs of the party, until it goes to congress. But Ayisi-Boateng believes the national chairman of the party must not be used as a sacrificial lamb as a result of the defeat of the party.
Speaking to The Chronicle in an interview, the NPP founder noted that the ability for a party to win an election should be a collective responsibility, but not an individual effort, adding that those blaming Mac Manu for the party's electoral defeat ought to ask themselves what they also did or did not do, for which reasons the party was defeated in the election.
He asserted that since Mr. Mac Manu himself has resolved not to seek re-election, it would only be fair that he is allowed to finish his term of office and not be pressurized to resign. "Every single member in the party should be blamed for the party's inability to win the elections, this is not the time to apportion blames or point accusing fingers at individuals, Mac Manu must have committed certain mistakes which cost the party dearly, but he can't solely be blamed for the party's misfortunes, Mr. Ayisi-Boateng noted.
He further stressed the need for each and everyone in the party to work towards ensuring unity and cohesion to enable the party stand on its feet against its opponents.
On the proposed constitutional amendments which may see the party introducing a cut-off point in the number of candidates who will vie for the flagbearership slot, Mr. Ayisi-Boateng said it would be very beneficial to the party in terms of avoiding factionalism and disintegration in the party.
He, however, stressed the need for the party to develop a mechanism that would ensure that every stakeholder involved in the process would feel satisfied at the end of the day, bearing in mind the consequence that can arise from such a decision.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Ghanaian Chronicle. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
