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The NDC Emerges From Its Long Post Election Depression

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Any lingering doubts that the National Democratic Congress — the NDC — was still in a comatose state following its humiliating performance in last year’s elections swiftly dissipated with Saturday’s large gathering in Tamale of thousands of enthusiatic party supporters.

By all indications, the NDC has emerged from its long post election depression and is now ready to take the fight to its perennial political nemesis, the NPP.

Dr. Kwesi Botwe’s post election diagnosis apparently has had the desired effect; the catharsis is now complete and the party can move forward and plan for its political future.

The gathering on Saturday could not have come at a more critical time in the party’s history. It was common knowledge that eight months after being soundly rejected by Ghanaian voters, the NDC was utterly confused and directionless.

It became abundantly clear that the party was struggling to put the electoral defeat behind; internal squabbles broke out, and the blame game and finger pointing began in earnest.

Saturday’s gathering at a rather short notice clearly indicates that party’s supporters have moved on from the defeat and are anxious to see the NDC retool and start afresh; little wonder they came out in force to send a clear message to the party’s hierarchy that the time had come to forge ahead, to revamp and get set for 2020.

Of course, it would be presumptuous to assume that NDC supporters are delusional; political reality hit them like a ton of bricks last December and left a bitter taste in their mouths. They were stunned and humiliated by the trouncing at the hands of the NPP.

And, worse, they saw their hopes of seeing their party — the NDC  —stay in power long enough to enact policies that will spread wealth and prosperity around, go up in flames.

Quite logically then, NDC supporters desire revenge, they crave pay back time in 2020; they are lusting to see the NPP go down in defeat, to be shown the exit and placed firmly in opposition.

But to accomplish this goal, to reach political nirvana, they would rather their party leaders act like grown ups and minimize if not completely eliminate the internal personality contests that continue to bedevil the organization. The party’s various factions are the reason why peace in the organization has remained elusive.

NDC supporters would love to see their leaders craft a new and coherent strategy, a veritable vision, one that will run counter to the snake oil the NPP is selling Ghanaians, a winning platform that will gel with Ghanaian voters and convince them that the NDC is capable of delivering on its promises if given the chance once again to govern the country.

And, ironically, the path to political redemption for the NDC is being smoothly paved by the inefficient NPP.

Yes, it is only seven months, and some would say too early to pass judgment on a ruling party, but the stubborn fact remains that seven months is a lifetime in politics.

The NPP’s campaign promises have become illusions, the economy is depressingly weak; yes, it is still in a funk and there is no argument there; the high rate of youth unemployment has not been brought down to any appreciable level and corruption has come roaring back.

In short, the NPP has opened a window of opportunity for the NDC to regain its political footing.

All the NDC has to do is to capitalize on the glaring weaknesses of the ruling NPP and win over Ghanaian voters with a clear, powerful, unambiguous message of hope and vitality.

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