Political parties appear the least immune to catch 22 moments. Smart political organisations have developed the temerity to ride political storms and since the electorate don?t suffer fools lightly, the not so bright political parties have been put out of business.

Both the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have had several close calls or very anxious moments that could have dramatically reduced their shelf life.

Luckily they employed a bit of political savvy and enterprise to salvage their respective parties.

Going into last weekend?s delegates? conference of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) political minds in our nation spewed comments that in the main suggested that such a situation was imminent especially in the wake of the much-flogged Esseku incident.

The election of a new crop of national officers for the NPP especially in its two pre-eminent positions has to some extent laid to rest growing concerns within the body politick that the party with the mandate to administer this nation until 2006 is at its wits end.

Was the electoral defeat of certain individuals whose candidature was linked (allegedly) to the Presidency a rejection of President Kufuor?s leadership of the party?

What would be the ramifications of such a move? Commentators would definitely be interested in what the response of the castle would be if this theory were proven to be factual and true?

SPLITTING OF HAIRS

One of the leading stories on the FrontPage of your authoritative Gye Nyame Concord relates the actions of a group of leading members of the ruling party who broke from the pack and openly campaigned against the candidates backed by the Castle.

What takes the cake is that their campaign was effective to the extent that the candidates viewed as the preferred choice of President Kufuor lost the election to candidates that received the backing of this group. Should this theory be proven beyond every reasonable doubt to be true would it signal trouble for the party of the elephants as it prepares for the election of a flag bearer in 2006- or even hamper its campaign for elections 2008. More anon.

ET TU NDC

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is by far the largest and the most credible opposition party in Ghana today. But as presently constituted it is a very polarised entity. It appears members of the NDC are beginning to lose any hopes of a possible comeback for the party as factions within its leadership gnaw at party cohesion. Party camaraderie is at its lowest ebb and if leadership of the party would listen to its National Organiser a lot of ground that has been lost as a result of the in fighting could be regained. Speaking in a radio interview Tuesday this week, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo re-echoed sentiments of party foot soldiers he said were crying out to leadership of the party to put their differences aside to unite the NDC for Elections 2008. According to him party members are doing their bit to lift the fortunes of the party and expect party leadership to reciprocate that gesture by forging unity within the party.

While Ofosu-Ampofo does his best to assure and reassure the party?s rank and file, his chairman?s olive branch gesture is being rubbished by the ?stiff Obed? camp in the NDC.

Time is of the essence in politics and time is running out for the NDC.