A Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr Jebuntie Zaato, has praised former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for bringing together the five presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in a breakfast meeting aimed at fostering unity ahead of the party’s flagbearer elections.
Dr Zaato said the gesture by the former President signifies that there are still respected elders within the party who can step in to calm tensions and promote harmony when the going gets tough.
Speaking in a telephone interview with GhanaWeb, he also commended all the aspirants for honoring the invitation, describing their attendance as a sign of deep respect and reverence for the former President.
When asked whether the meeting reflected disunity within the party, Dr Zaato disagreed, arguing that internal contestations are a sign of strength rather than weakness in any political organization.
“Conflict is inevitable in any political party. It is only weak or inactive parties that do not experience internal contestations. Just look at the CPP and the PNC — they are not functioning effectively because they don’t have the internal struggles that test their strength. Even the NDC is doing well today because it has gone through its fair share of internal challenges,” he explained.
Dr Zaato further stated that the formation of the United Party Plus by former NPP member Alan Kyerematen will not have any adverse effect on the growth of the NPP.
He said the current internal tensions within the party could, in fact, serve as a unifying force and better prepare the NPP for its next attempt to regain political power.
The former President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Tuesday, hosted all the NPP presidential aspirants at a breakfast meeting to promote unity and goodwill as the party prepares to elect its next flagbearer.
