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“Dreaming Aspirants” Must Step Down -
Odoi-Sykes
Kweku Asare, ACCRA
Accra, July 28, Ghanadot - Mr Samuel Odoi-Sykes, a former
High Commissioner to Canada and former Chairman of the
ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has kicked against the huge
number of Presidential aspirants seeking the high office of
the party to be President.
He described the situation as embarrassing and called for a
change of the clause in the party’s constitution that
anybody can contest for the flagbearer office.
He said a committee is persuading some of the “dreaming
aspirants” to help save the image of the party by stepping
down.
“It’s not by force, we have to persuade, because our current
constitution allows everyone who is a member of the party to
contest for any position in the party…this one, we will take
a hard look at it”, he said.
Mr Odoi-Sykes is on record to have been the first high
ranked personality in the party to speak against the
situation.
The NPP has come under a lot of criticism for the number of
presidential aspirants it is lining up for its congress in
December. Despite the fact that nominations have not yet
been opened, there already are close to twenty aspirants
straining at the political leash to be let loose to do
battle.
Mr. Odoi-Sykes, under whose tenure the party won its first
elections in 2000 said he has seen the good and bad side of
Ghana’s politics, saying the current situation if not
checked, would pose major problems for the party in the
future.
“We have about 17, 18, 19 people wanting to be president.
It’s an embarrassment and it does not help the image of the
party in the country”, he said.
He noted that the situation had arisen due to the current
strength of the party, saying that when the constitution was
drawn they never anticipated a situation where so many
people would be jostling to become President , “we are going
to try and amend it so that next time we can shortlist
them.”
He said the party in 2000, “we were begging people to stand
for parliamentary elections, but they refused…Most said they
were not sure that we would win, others said they were
scared of the brutalities going on and other explanations…”
“Now the ground is fertile and the same people want to go to
Parliament. You can take a constituency and seven people are
contesting for the slot as if going to Parliament is the
only way you can serve your party and country”.
He admitted that the party would have things tough in the
2008 General Elections with the current situation on the
ground.
“It’s not going to be easy. Though we have achieved a lot
for the people more than any political party in the
country’s history, we can’t say we have a 100% record…We
have to recognize where we have fallen short and work
there”, he said.
Kweku Asare, ACCRA, July 28, 2007, Ghanadot.com
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