By Ishmael Junourgh 
Community consultations expose cracks
The Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Sissala West Constituency, Hon. Abudi Shaibu, says an extensive grassroots fact-finding exercise following the party’s last internal elections uncovered deep-seated divisions that significantly contributed to the party’s electoral defeat.
According to him, his election as constituency chairman four years ago marked the beginning of a deliberate effort to understand why the party performed poorly across the constituency.
Rather than relying solely on the views of party executives, Hon. Shaibu said he embarked on community tours, meeting delegates, executives and independent opinion leaders in every electoral area to obtain a balanced assessment of the party’s challenges.
“I wanted to triangulate the information I received from party executives and delegates with the views of respected community members,” he explained.
The consultations, he said, revealed that unresolved differences between party executives and grassroots members had eroded confidence in the constituency leadership and weakened the party’s campaign machinery.
“The diagnosis showed that many delegates were unhappy with their executives, and those internal disagreements largely accounted for the party’s defeat,” he stated.
Consensus over competition
Determined to prevent a repeat of past mistakes, Hon. Shaibu said the constituency leadership initiated a series of consultations with aspiring executives and stakeholders, encouraging them to place the party’s collective interest above personal ambition.
The discussions eventually led to a consensus approach in which aspirants unanimously agreed on candidates based on competence, credibility, commitment and dedication across the constituency’s five electoral areas.
He stressed that the process was entirely voluntary and respected both the NPP Constitution and the Constitution of Ghana, which guarantee every member the right to contest elections.
“We held several meetings to ensure that every decision was taken unanimously without denying anyone the constitutional right to seek office,” he said.
Reducing internal tensions
Hon. Shaibu noted that party executives recognised that highly contested internal elections often leave lasting divisions, weaken party cohesion and impose unnecessary financial burdens on members.
According to him, adopting consensus where possible has historically produced positive electoral outcomes for the NPP in the constituency.
He described the strategy as “a reset for victory” aimed at rebuilding trust and strengthening the party ahead of future elections.
Warning against factional politics
The constituency chairman cautioned party members against forming internal camps, saying factional politics has been one of the biggest obstacles to the party’s progress.
He observed that such divisions frequently breed mistrust and misunderstandings that persist long after internal elections have ended.
Instead, he called on members to rally behind the newly elected leadership and work collectively towards recapturing the parliamentary seat.
Confidence in electoral comeback
Hon. Shaibu maintained that the NPP possesses credible and capable leadership capable of reclaiming the constituency if members remain united.
He argued that the party’s previous electoral setbacks were not due to a lack of quality candidates but rather internal wrangling that undermined its campaign efforts.
With many of the longstanding misunderstandings now being addressed, he expressed confidence that the constituency has repositioned itself for victory in the next general election.
“We have succeeded in resetting our game. If we sustain this unity and discipline, I believe the NPP will return stronger and more competitive in Sissala East,” he said.
Johannes Jafo Akunatu