Director of Programmes at the Office of the Vice President, Salam Mustapha, has wondered how Members of Parliament (MPs) of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) failed to elect Prof Mike Aaron Oquaye as Speaker of the Eighth Parliament of the Republic of Ghana, noting that the NPP MPs did not only embarrass President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia but proved that the NPP has been “gross” from the main election to the election of Speaker in Parliament.

According to him, he wonders “how the NPP got here” to become “a party of deep-seated angst, animosity, bigotry, jealousy and hatred? How did we get here?” He asked.

Mr Salam, respected for his frankness, admitted that the MPs of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), who succeeded in getting their sponsored candidate, Alban Bagbin, elected as Speaker of Parliament, had a better strategy that was well executed.

He lamented that NPP MPs allowed the NDC caucus to use the element of surprise to outwit them and eventually get their candidate elected to the high office of Speaker of Parliament, adding that the fact that politics is a thinking enterprise should not have been lost on the NPP MPs.

Even so, he insisted that the NPP is sad but not broken and that how the youth of the party acts in this trying times will “speak a lot of their character today.”

For him, members of the NPP must fashion solutions even as they discuss issues affecting the party. He is hopeful that the NPP can rebound and win the 2024 elections.

Read his full unedited statement below

We are sad but not broken

Dear NPP folks!

Let’s say never again. Never again should we find ourselves in such a wanton situation. Never again.

We didn’t embarrass the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. M. Bawumia but our own selves. We proofed that we’re gross from the main elections to the one in Parliament this morning.

Dear NPP folks, our forebears were people of valour, grit and great conviction and birthed this party. Over the period, the party has grown deep into its tradition as a Conservative party and holds the mettle to develop this great country of ours.

How did we get here today, as a party of deep-seated angst, animosity, bigotry, jealousy and hatred? How did we get here?

Dear NPP folks, contemporary politics of today is an art and science. It takes meticulous work for triumph in every strand of it. Let’s us admit, first and foremost, the NDC caucus came into the 8th parliamentary leadership race with a clear cutout strategy and the all the tactics worked for them.

Sun Tsu teaches in ‘the art of war’ that surprise is a formidable weapon in warfare. The first surprise from the NDC caucus was to arrive in time to occupy the majority side of the house. They knew this will cause rumpus in the house and the more the chaos the more it favoured them because they had nothing to lose.

Then they fought hard to get the MP for Assin north to stay and cowed the clerk of parliament into submission using the same rumpus strategy. That again worked.

And finally, they insisted on a secret balloting. They almost knew that with secret balloting they will carry the day. It’s also apparent that the NDC caucus knew there were trojan horses in the NPP caucus. Sadly this they succeeded too using the same rumpus strategy.

Dear NPP folks, politics is all about strategy. This is a thinking job. It’s for deep thinkers. You’ve to outsmart and outthink your opponent. We are sad but not broken. The spirit and soul of this party lies in we the young following of this party. The party needs us now than ever before and how we will rise up to this call will speak a lot about our character today.

As we discuss various issues affecting the party, let’s be THINKING of the solutions too. Let’s rebound with vigour in 2024 and win it.

Your friend,

#SM