Opinions of Friday, 30 April 2021

Columnist: Kwame Patriot

Is Ntim's 5th quest for NPP Chairmanship in the interest of the party?

Former National Vice Chairman of the NPP, Stephen Ayensu Ntim Former National Vice Chairman of the NPP, Stephen Ayensu Ntim

The concern of Mr. Stephen Ntim contesting the NPP Chairmanship race for 4 times already and now seeking a 5th trial, is always debunked by his quarters as his unflinching urge to work for the party. Sometimes, his fate is put side by side with that of HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, even though Ghanaians saw that The President carried and gave him the opportunity on the 3rd attempt.

Has Mr. Ntim been unfortunate? The answer is a no. All through the last 4 of his attempts, Stephen Ntim has stood the most popular and has been tipped severally to win but that has never been the case. Against Chairman Manu, he wasn't an easy opponent before the contest, against the late Obestsebi Lamptey and Paul Afoko, it was obvious he stood the tallest.

Against Chairman Blay, even his posture and messaging made us believe that "time aso for Ntim". We all know the aftermath of these elections and where Mr. Ntim stood after the elections.

Now the real question to be asked is “What is Ntim seeking to get from the Honourable Chairmanship position of our most esteemed and revered great elephant party?” Though it seems pretty obvious, I try as much as possible not to toll the argument of Mr. Ntim seeking to pay off his debts from his previous lost elections with one term in the rims of chairmanship position.

It is true that persistence is a human attribute we all desire, but a one time too many of it, at the expense of the people who make the decision sometimes becomes perhaps annoying and insulting.

Is that what the honorable delegates, who speak on behalf of the entire elephant fraternity want? I am sure the integrity of our delegates stand high, their ability to determine who and what is good for the party cannot be bought by any amount of money or deceit.

Even if it was a case of vote-buying, is Mr. Ntim telling us that the will of our honorable delegates to make a decision of their own has been bought on 4 consecutive occasions? That will be the greatest of all insults.

With the biggest agenda of #breakthe8 ahead of the great NPP, the party needs a chairman with a clean slate. Someone who has no prior conflict of interest when it comes to choosing a flag bearer for the party. Someone who is opened to ideas from all quarters and is ready to work tirelessly with all factions in the party if there ever arise any.

Therefore I ask for the last time, "Is Ntim's 5th quest for NPP Chairman in the interest of the party?"

Let us think carefully through this question and make the decision we will never regret.

Long live the great elephant party, Long live our motherland Ghana.