LOSING THE UPPER EAST REGION: BLAME THE LEADERSHIP NOT THE ELECTORATE.
A STATEMENT ISSUED BY THE UPPER EAST PATRIOTIC MOVEMENT FOR GROWTH
The venerable Prof. Stephen Adei is often quoted to have said that “leadership is cause, everything else is effect”. This statement seemed just ordinary until it became the echoing ring in our ears.
The Country went to elections on December 7, 2020 to elect a President and Parliamentarians that will manage our beloved country, Ghana in the next four (4) years.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) which won power in 2016 had one interest; to retain the Presidency and win and increase our Parliamentary seats. It was on this note that the NPP Upper East set up an ambitious plan to secure at least 7 seats in the region. That was a good mark of leadership exhibited by the Regional Executive. Good leaders set targets. But as it is said; “the problem is never about becoming a monkey but it has more to do with getting the tail of a monkey”. By implication, anyone can lead but not everyone leading can achieve success.
It was all joy when the Anthony Namoo Esq led Regional Executive (team) took over the affairs of the party in the region in April 2018. We must emphasize that this team is the best on book that the Upper East NPP has ever assembled to lead its course. An outstanding Lawyer as Chairman, a Medical Doctor as Vice Chairman, Research Fellow as Secretary, Chartered Accountant as Treasurer and a renowned Resource Mobiliser as Organizer. In fact, the region could not have asked for anything more.
Before this team came, the then Regional Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Murtala Ibrahim had led his team from opposition to win three (3) Parliamentary seats from an initial one (1) seat going into the 2016 elections. His team also increased the Presidential Votes to about 35%. This was very commendable.
Going into the 2020 elections, it was expected that the region will at least maintain these strives if at all we had no interest in meeting our own and current targets of not less than seven (7) seats.
Unfortunately, the region was headed for a record worst performance. The region was to lose all its 3 seats and decrease its share of the Presidential votes to about 32%. The region was to suffer from leadership paralysis. A leadership that provided no direction to achieving any of its own set targets.
Prior to the elections, we could see Regional Executives of our neighbors in Northern Region, North East, Savannah and Upper West regions crisscrossing the various constituencies in their regions to garner support, to court voters and to explain the need to give His Excellency the President and the NPP one more term. Where there was the need, they ‘imported’ support from the NATIONAL PARTY HIRACHY into areas they deemed difficult.
In our beloved Upper East Region, it was ONLY a few Regional Executives who in the last month to elections found time to move across all the 15 constituencies engaging floating voters and influential persons in those areas. The Regional Chairman who was justifiably expected to lead the CHARGE of securing the ATLEAST 7 SEATS chose to station himself in the NABDAM CONSTITUENCY, where he comes from. This is probably because per his intelligence, Nabdam was the only winnable constituency in the region. Could it thus be that, he did not want to associate himself with the remaining constituencies where his intelligence (if any) foretold him of failure? Well, this may just be a speculative thought but the facts are that, upon being stationed there; he lost that constituency with a wider margin than 2016, he lost his electoral area and he lost his polling station. Yes, coincidental or accidental, this can only mean one thing. He could not provide leadership even to himself let alone the region he shepherds.
In the Parliamentary primaries, the Lawyer Anthony Namoo led Executive was so active in determining who could become candidates in some constituencies, and should this enthusiasm have been repeated after the primaries in resolving issues and strategizing to win the electorate, we are very sure that the region could have won a lot of seats in the just ended general elections.
So it is safe to say that, the NPP Upper East went to the elections with leadership crisis. With no or little focus or leadership guidance. With vulnerable leadership. With no or less research or intelligence feed. And so could not achieve any success.
It must be emphasized that, the region received in its history the largest quantum of resources from individuals, national party and government appointees. Thus, resource constrain cannot on any day be added to the reasons for this embarrassing performance. Every constituency got at least a pick-up, uncountable motorbikes and bicycles among other resources. These were meant to facilitate campaign activities.
Yet, even all three (3) of our Ministers who contested their seats lost. One would ask if the regional leadership made any frantic efforts to maintain just those seats. What was the relationship between the Regional Executive and these 3 ministers going into the elections? Did the target of at least 7 seats include those or any of those 3 seats? And if yes, can we conclude that the targeting was done with no or less intelligence?
During the vetting of the Aspirant Parliamentary Candidates for Nabdam, in the presence of the Constituency Executive, the Regional Executive and a Deputy General Secretary, Mr. Daniel Patrick Nii Laryea Squire who was the Vetting Committee Chairman, the Regional Chairman did not only announce but bragged that he would relinquish his position as Regional Chairman of the NPP if he lost the Nabdam Parliamentary Seat. THIS may explain largely why he chose to pitch camp in Nabdam virtually becoming the de facto Constituency Chairman and determining who was fit to be in the campaign of the party or not. Well. Leaders who seek to build credibility are expected to honour what they on their own volition make pronouncements on.
It is therefore base on this that; we call on him to honorably resign from the position and allow for a smooth re-organisation of the party in the region. Our call is not made because we dislike him. It is rather made because we want to rebuild the NPP to the level that made it attractive for him to seek leadership which we graciously granted him by campaigning for and voting him at the April 2018 Regional Delegates Conference.
MEANWHILE, we wish to commend the Executives, MP-Elect and People of Binduri for saving the face of the Region by winning their seat.
Long Live the Great New Patriotic Party! Long Live Upper East NPP!! Long Live Our Cherished Values!!! Long Live Ghana!!!
….. Signed …..
Ayuba Abubakari (Convener) 0244202006
Theophilus Abolga (Secretary) 0246214834/0593220100
Freda Ayinbisa (Member) 0208065269
Hanna Agana (Member) 0547122280
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