A leading member of the intelligentsia of the New Patriotic Party has urged the foreign minister and member for Abuakwa South to come out boldly now and assert his bid to lead the party in the next presidential race.

Challenging Nana Akufo-Addo's own hitherto strategy not to do anything to draw attention from President Kufuor onto himself. Victor Newman argues that there is currently a strong cloud of disillusionment over the party and the best way to re-energise party activists and to also to help retain public confidence in the ruling party is to assure the public that there is "a lot to look forward to." However a close aide to the foreign minister has dismissed the idea, saying "it is too early."

Writing in The Statesman, Mr. Newman sees such a strategy as actually enhancing the President's own stature by virtue of the hope it is likely to offer to party sympathisers in future. He cites the situation in the UK where Gordon Borwin is not only seen as clear successor to Prime Minister Tony Blair but also offering assurance, first, to those who want continuity of the good policies of the labour government and second, a different kind of leadership to those unhappy with aspects of Mr. Blair's leadership.

He observes that President Kufuor, constitutionally will not be a candidate in 2008. Unfortunately, most of the attacks from both outside and inside the party are directed at himself, his family or the government, thereby causing collateral damage to the image of the party. We all cannot sit down and keep our mouths shut, waiting for the 18 month period to pass before we act. It will be too late for both the party and whoever is chosen as the flag bearer, in January 2008, to repair any damages caused by our opponents.