“JOIN THE QUEUE THIS IS A CONSERVATIVE PARTY”

With one powerful no-frills speech President John Agyekum Kufuor has been able to run juggernaut through the apparent cause of the discontent that appeared to have overcome his party, more so since 2005.

But, he did not leave it there: he warned his party about the future leadership of the New Patriotic Party, adding his voice to the growing body of concern in the party over the clamour for power at the top.

So far, 16 men have declared their intention to co ntest the NPP presidential flagbearership position; a year before the national delegates’ conference is expected to take place. Speaking to regional party executives two weekends ago, President Kufuor reminded his audience that the NPP has a tradition, which has served them well since the days of J B Danquah.

In direct reference to the growing number of people who are putting themselves forward for the NPP’s presidential nomination in 2007, President Kufuor added his presidential voice to the view that the NPP is a liberal but conservative party, where people serve their term, rendering selfless sacrifice to the party before deserving a leadership role.

He, however, observed, by implying in his speech, that there were people trying to upset the tradition by jumping the queue and that they would be better advised to bid their time for their turn.

Without mentioning names, the President was emphatic that some of the 16 men currently known to be going around the constituencies canvassing for delegates’ votes, were not deserving of the flagbearership. He showed his unhappiness with those seeking to win favour by pulling others down, especially by badmouthing the government.

In his view, the NPP wants good people to lead the party. People who are committed to the cause of the party and who possess a deep understanding of what the party stands for, to give the country the desired leadership. The NPP, he said, deserves a leader who loves the party; not a person who simply loves to lead.

Linking the choice of his successor to the relationship between party and government, the President said that he has a legitimate interest in ensuring that his administration enjoys the full confidence of the party that put him and his government into office.

He wants to go into retirement in peace and at peace with his party. Also, the party should be careful against being cozened by those who believe the only way they can weave themselves into the hearts and minds of party delegates is to fuel the impression that his government has ignored the party. Beware of those who come with promises, but who have no such record of comparable deeds in support, he stressed.

His passionate plea was that the party should be saved from those who are looking for a cheap and fast track to the presidential candidacy. The President’s speech went down very well, was the overwhelming view of those at the meeting to whom The Statesman spoke.

“Fantastic response,” was how one described it.

The President, composed and sincere, spoke after party executives had freely vented their frustration, fuelled by the feeling that government was not being helpful to the party and its loyalists.

But, the President explained that his government had choices to make between being short-sighted and doing what the National Democratic Congress did, in allegedly spending resources courting cronyism to keep the rank and file happy rather than investing in national priority areas to build a strong foundation for a more lasting source of resources.

“At the beginning of the function, the party executives at Maple Leaf were in an angry mood. But at the end of his speech, the President had been able to arrest the people’s agitation,” one regional chairman told The Statesman. “He actually convinced us that the next stage of his government will see a better relationship between party and government,” one senior executive added. “But, he was emphatic that some people did not deserve to be considered in the succession race,” one Women’s Organiser said.

“What all of us gathered from his speech was that this party is conservative and if you want to lead it you must first join the queue and wait for your turn,” a constituency chairman said.