Feature

Keeping the NDC united at the local level after the appointment of MMDCEs – Abass Fuseini Sbaabe writes

I have been advocating for the NDC to devise a strategy to mitigate the disappointment of those who will inevitably lose out in the contest for MMDCEs positions nationwide.

Bringing together all those who will not be selected at the national level to receive counseling from experienced politicians, counselors, and clinical psychologists, and ensuring their continued commitment to the party’s cause, would be more beneficial than abandoning them to nurse their own wounds.

The following are the primary reasons for my suggestions:

1. Unlike ministerial appointments, where candidates are not required to fill out forms to be vetted by the President and his team, aspirants for MMDCEs positions fill out forms, submit themselves to vetting, and are aware of their competitors. Each aspirant assumes they have contributed more to the party’s fortunes than their opponents. If they are not selected, they feel the party has not appreciated their efforts.

2. Aspirants have their support bases, primarily comprising their tribesmen, who support their bids. If they fail to be selected, they bring their tribesmen on board to experience their misfortunes, sharing stories that may cause their bases to resent the system that seemingly overlooked them.

3. Immediate family members of party loyalists often assume their relatives contribute more to the party’s fortunes than anyone else. As the Akans say, ‘until you visit another man’s farm, you may wrongly assume you are the only farmer.’ Our wives and children witness our tireless work for the party and conclude that no one in the constituency works harder than their husband or father. When their relative is not selected, the household may plunge into darkness, and the family may develop resentment towards the party. Unless the unsuccessful aspirants take it upon themselves to console their family, tribesmen, faith members, colleagues, neighbors, and friends, bitterness may spread to these groups, as they feel their representative has been treated unfairly. Once the aspirant receives counseling and returns home refreshed, their pain will be alleviated, and they will console their people with a renewed sense of purpose. This approach would be a more effective way to address discontentment, which can spread like cancer.

In April 2009, when the names of MMDCEs were published, many young men who had traveled to Jirapa to support the bye-election after Edward Salia’s passing were dismayed to find their names excluded from the list. Some of these individuals, who were vying for MMDCEs positions in their areas, abandoned the NDC’s activities in Jirapa. I witnessed a young man shedding tears, as if he had lost a loved one, because the position he coveted had been given to someone else. It was a poignant moment.

In 2012, when I was chosen over other aspirants, some of those who were unsuccessful harbored resentment towards the party and worked against its interests. When I became the party’s parliamentary candidate, some of these individuals never forgave me and subtly worked to ensure my defeat.

During the 2013 confirmation process, some of my co-aspirants employed proxies to make my life miserable. These proxies later teamed up with my opponents in the 2016 elections, contributing to my defeat.

I do not blame these individuals; instead, I blame the NDC for failing to manage the ‘post-nomination trauma’ that some aspirants experience. We all have different coping mechanisms for emotional pain; some people require assistance to prevent their disappointment from causing unnecessary disillusionment within the party.

In politics, every single vote counts; discounting one vote can have far-reaching consequences, as one vote can represent a thousand because each thousand is made up of ones.

Abass Fuseini Sbaabe
(Political Insights from Inside)