“The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) can only win the 2020 polls if it works hard to win back its mass appeal,” a national chairman aspirant of the congress, Mr Danny Anang, has declared.
In his view, the NDC as a social democratic party, lost its mass appeal in the 2016 polls, hence the defeat and would do the party a lot of good to win back its mass appeal so as to secure victory in the 2020 polls.
Sharing his mission and vision in an interview, Mr Anang declared: “We are all testimonies to the Prof. Kwesi Botchwey’s Report” and going by that report there was the need for the party to go back to the basics by re-energising the grass roots to rebuild, resource, redirect and recapture political power in the 2020 polls.
Five vie for slot
The NDC has opened nominations for the various national positions, key among them is the national chairmanship slot. The national chairmanship position of the party is currently occupied by Mr Kofi Portuphy who will not seek re-election.
Other aspirants in the race are a former General Secretary of the NDC, Alhaji Huudu Yahaya, former Trade and Industry Minister and former NDC MP for Keta, Mr Dan Abodakpi, former Attorney General and current NDC Vice Chairperson, Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, and Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo.
Weak structures
According to Mr Anang, currently, the NDC had weak structures which needed to be strongly rebuilt for election 2020.
He said the Kwesi Botchwey report mentioned that the grass-roots membership of the party complained of lack of resources to prosecute the agenda 2016 election.
He said as the base where political power was won, the grass roots of the party needed to be motivated, re-energised and resourced to play its role effectively.
He also pointed out that since life was dynamic, it was very imperative for the NDC to sustainably redirect and refocus to grow the party.
In so doing, he also advocated unity as crucial to the needed growth for expansion.
Uncle Danny, as he is affectionately called, a founder member of the NDC, was more than convinced that with his key thematic agenda of rebuilding, resourcing, redirecting and recapturing, the NDC could easily win the 2020 elections from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
He said there must be a conscious effort to unite and grow the party, saying “in politics you win by the numbers”.
Track record
On what was his motivation, he said he had served the party extensively, had deep rooted knowledge of party affairs and believed he had gained the relevant experiences.
He said since the birth of the NDC in 1992, he had been managing the affairs of the party from the branch, constituency, regional and national levels.
He recalled that after winning the Greater Accra Regional Chairmanship position of the party when it was in opposition in 2005 and had 10 seats in Parliament, he was able to upturn the scale of the party to win 18 seats in the 2008 election.
“Greater Accra is the nerve centre of elections in the country, and for that matter must be the heartbeat of NDC campaigns,” he argued.
House to house campaigns
As regional chairman of the party, he recalls initiating house to house campaigns which later became a model for the national campaign of the NDC.
He said he also had what it took to run the party from opposition to capture power in 2020 since he was vice chairman of the party from 2009 to 2014.
“Having run all these structures, I believe I have learnt enough on the job as a manager of the party and with experience on my side, I have my eyes on capturing power for the NDC in 2020.
“Interestingly, my deep roots within the party are very much appreciated by the rank and file of the party,” he stated. “They believe I have what it takes to lead the party.”
Challenges
He identified time and money as the biggest challenge hindering his smooth campaign to become national chairman of the party.
He said as a servant leader, one’s engagement with the grass roots of the party needed to be enhanced.
He promised to become the “available chairman” of the NDC and urged delegates to vote for a chairman who was results-oriented and focused to capture power for the party.
He said for eight years, he found peace where there was “war” and giving the nod as chairman, he would work to ensure that attack of personality would be a thing of the past.
“I do not see election and power as a life and death matter rather. I see it as an exchange of ideas to move the party and nation forward,” he stated.
“Anyone who wins will campaign on the legacy of the former President and so why the attack?” he questioned.
Advice
As the party was preparing for the national congress, Mr Anang underscored the need for issue-based campaigns devoid of acrimony, insults and pettiness.
He said all the national chairmen aspirants should know that “we are all from the same stock and family. We are only looking for an elder of the house.”
“As we get close, I plead that we should not do anything that would muddy the waters but sell our programmes that will change the fortune of the party,” he underscored.
He called on the delegates to examine the track records of all aspirants and select the one with the capabilities to lead the party to win the 2020 election for the NDC.
“Let us weigh what the aspirants tell us and not what they give to us” he cautioned, saying: “If you want power you should look for capable hands who have the can-do spirit and have done it before.”
NPP in government
On the performance of the NPP, almost two years in government, he said it was his belief that most Ghanaians had regretted voting the NPP into power when they used propaganda to influence Ghanaians into believing in their vain promises.
He said governance was in shambles as the NPP had failed to arrest the falling cedi against the dollar with most of their promises yet to be fulfilled.
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Daily Graphic
