
Intriguingly, I have seen this debate gaining momentum on social media regarding the winnable and marketable candidate to lead and set the course for a Political Party, mainly the NPP.
In my initial commentary on this thought-provoking and ongoing conversation surrounding a winnable and marketable candidate and what it takes to be at the forefront.
In all honesty, successful leaders are great achievers, and being a great achiever encompasses both failures and successes chalked up in every endeavor embarked on.
Put simply, no one has climbed up the ladder of success without defeats and challenges, and these two ingredients feed into how one is courageous and tough to withstand pressures.
The trailblazers who have accomplished their ambitions or aspirations in the political landscape or architecture have gone through a similar fate, which has shaped their lives.
Let’s zero it down to our celebrated leaders who courageously led this Country since independence to date. They didn’t all get it easy or on a silver platter, and it wasn’t a walk in the park for them either.
To buttress my points raised above, the late Prof. Adu Boahen, Former President, H.E. John Agyekum Kufour, and Former President H.E. Nana Addo, also tried and lost.
What’s quite worth noting was Former President Kufour’s ability, tenacity, and fortitude to triumph irrespective of the initial setback in his quest to lead the Country.
He won and led the Country for eight years, and when Former President Nana Addo came, he also suffered the same fate to lead the Country.
Former President Nana Addo, with the brevity and the can-do spirit, also continued despite the comments that he can’t be the President of Ghana, and lo and behold, he also led the Country for 8 years.
All these examples are not to push for a certain narrative but to acknowledge the need for us to be objective-minded, and deal with issues as they are supposed to be.
Fast forward to who is a winnable candidate, if we are to be clear in our minds and base our argument on what great achievers are, it will never come to our minds to describe people who failed once as not a winnable candidate.
What’s quite curious is the fact that some people even failed in their first attempt to lead a political Party internally, and how do we describe such a character? As a non-winnable? Your guest is as good as mine.
In addition, how do we describe a candidate who won an internal contest but unfortunately lost in the general elections to lead the Country? As a non-winnable candidate simply because he lost in his first attempt?
Be that as it may, some of these assertions are surrounded by more questions than answers, and it defeats the purpose of objective reasoning and fairness, to say the least.
In all these rough and tumble, one must not use one event to determine someone’s ability to achieve success subsequently in their bid to lead and to make a remarkable impact.
This ongoing debate should be based on logical reasoning, not selfish and individual parochial interests to project their preferred candidates.
In a very holistic manner, a winnable candidate must possess certain irresistible character traits and values that resonate with the people and the rank and file of the Party, NPP.
Some of these will be explained further to dispel the negative narrative being bundled around in the public domain to discredit someone who has worked and endured through thick and thin when the Party needed it.
The crux of the matter hinges on the following well-embracing and unique character traits which I will expatiate on currently.
A courageous person perseveres despite life’s challenging predicaments and difficulties and will be celebrated by people for such a remarkable quality.
TRUST AND RELIANCE
In all facets of life, great achievers are those who have trust in themselves and the people they work for, and this helps to bring about reliability. Lack of self-trust weakens one’s capacity to champion a cause that will be supported by the majority of the people.
Hence, self-trust and reliance on one’s knowledge, commitment, hard work, and intellectual prowess will go a long way to ensure success, devoid of failures on the journey.
HUMILITY AND TOLERANCE
Again, being humble speaks volumes of one’s acceptability in a setting, and as it’s said, humility is a virtue that propels an individual to great heights.
Tolerance is also a factor when we can’t underestimate or downplay when it comes to who is successful or described as a winnable candidate. An individual’s tolerance level plays an enormous role when it comes to living together with people with varied character traits
KNOWLEDGE AND INNOVATION
Being knowledgeable sets one ahead of their peers, and it’s an impactful quality that will help one to surmount hurdles ahead despite unavoidable challenges.
Innovation also differentiates between a leader and a follower, and what one does with their academic knowledge brings about innovative thinking ideas that are useful and impactful to the people.
Realistically and in all this debate sparked by some group of people, it’s an undeniable fact that Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s character traits encompass the above-mentioned points highlighted and briefly explained.
Given that, it’s equally premature for a group of people to dwell on a narrative that once Dr Mahamudu Bawumia lost in his 2024 elections, he is not a winnable candidate. What about your preferred candidate now who suffered a defeat in the internal primaries?
To state categorically, this argument is not only feeble but very weak and can’t withstand the test of time or logical reasoning.
It’s not in doubt that, in conclusion, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia displays unmatched emotional resilience with candor and flair in the discharge of his duties as Vice President and Flagbearer for the 2024 elections.
Let’s not be blackmailed by people who lack great interpersonal relationships to drum home this inaccurate narrative to suit their preferred candidates. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is a winnable candidate.
Shalom!
Long Live NPP!
Long Live NPP fraternity!
Author: Columnist-Abdulai Abdul-Razak
Tamale South Constituency
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