A founder member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe, has deplored the lack of unity within the NPP tradition as the greatest challenge facing the party at the moment.
He has, therefore, suggested that “one major responsibility for the Paul Afoko-led NPP national executive is to reach out to all members, especially the elders of the party, who had taken a back seat due to victimisation.”
Sharing his perspectives on NPP matters with the Daily Graphic yesterday, he said party stalwarts such as Mr Odoi Sykes, Mr Donkor Fodjor, Mr Kwame Pianin and Mr K. G. Osei Bonsu, who all seem to have taken a back seat in the affairs of the party, must be brought on board to ensure an ‘all hands on deck’ situation for victory in the 2016 elections.
According to Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe, “what happened at the Tamale Sports Stadium during the party’s national delegates conference was a clear indication that the NPP is ready for a change and, for that matter, a new direction to be able to capture political power in the future.”
He added that the success of the party in the 2016 elections would depend on the actions or inaction of the new executive.
He suggested that if all old behaviours were put aside, including “calling people names when they want to express their views,” the party would succeed. He described the Tamale conference as a pilgrimage to the north, home of some of the party’s founding fathers, to renew commitments to the party’s founding principles.
Going forward, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe insisted that unity must be the key message. He said time was not on the side of the NPP and called on the party’s leadership to strive for unity ahead of the 2016 elections.
Without genuine unity in NPP, Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe pointed out that the change in the national leadership would be “cosmetic”.
He also underscored the need for the new leaders to do their job without fear or favour and to restore discipline in party.
Dr.Tamakloe is confident the NPP will regain its status as a vibrant democratic party if the rank and file of the party are united.