The evolution and development of the New Patriotic Party in Ghana

2015

Contemporary literature on emerging democracies identifies the art of elections as the ultimate measure for democratic credentials in a country. “If free and fair elections are held regularly within a constitutionally stipulated time frame” and, in particular, “where regime change occurs through such elections”, they have argued, “are enough reasons for a country to be branded democratic”. Recent studies conducted by Ghanaian and Nigerian Universities on Ghana and Nigeria elections since 1996 tend to affirm this view. In contesting such unqualified assessment, this paper argues that merely conducting free and fair elections at regular intervals does not make a country democratic. Of paramount importance is the quality of elections held and the meaning attached to them. These features, the paper argues, are functions of enduring and sound party politics manifested in decent political behaviour which are enshrined in the basic tenets of political party systems in any given government....

2003

, at a packed venue at the Trade Fair Centre of Accra, a close contest was held to elect the new chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). Taking place after Jerry Rawlings left office and the party was defeated at the 2000 elections, the 5 th NDC general meeting was labelled a "make or break party Congress". 1 At the end of a heated 29hour non-stop conference, the tight race for the party chairmanship enthroned Dr Obed Asamoah, who ran on a post-Rawlings political platform: with 334 preferences, he was just two votes ahead of the candidate sponsored by the former president. Was it truly the case that, as a Ghanaian daily newspaper anticipated, Asamoah's success "brought home a few truths to the ex-President-that the NDC as a party is bigger than him (Rawlings)"? 2

Commonwealth & Comparative Politics, 2019

The staying power of the Nkrumahist minor parties in an institutionalised twoparty system is the specific puzzle that underlies this paper. It argues that post-election opportunities for party patronage remain important despite the persistently unsuccessful electoral strategies of the Nkrumahist minor. In national elections minor parties' salience has declined. Nevertheless, the competitiveness of elections sometimes calls for the support of a third-party to win elections. The paper reports that the Nkrumahist parties activated their 'coalition potential' during open presidential races. The few members winning legislative seats used their 'blackmail potential' to gain influence in the government parties. More significant, however, are the post-election patronage opportunities provided by winning parties, involving public sector employment and other forms of recognition.

Party Politics, Elections and Electioneering, has since the late 1990’s taking a very new dimensions in the whole of Africa. The rate at which the one party “dominant” structure, that tries as much as possible to suppress other minority party under its whips and caprices has reduced, gradually given way to a spring of new political parties within state structure who now rival the one time dominant party for political positions in all tiers of government could be the sign of good things to come. Elections and electioneering in Africa has now taking an increase rate, although these elections and electioneering process is beautifully colored with electoral mal-practices, fighting’s and rioting, some have witnessed tremendous improvement as we have had back to back electoral successes in some countries.

African Journal of Political Science and International Relations, 2021

Across Africa, as in Ghana, state funding of political parties continues to generate debates across academic and policy circles. Against this background, three constituencies in the Upper West Region of Ghana were selected purposely to interrogate views of the public on this development. A combined 78 participants were selected in a mixed study design through purposive and quota sampling techniques. Primary data were gathered through focus group discussions and interviews revealed that 72.2% of the respondents favoured direct state funding of political parties indicating this will make multi-party democracy vibrant and competitive. 44.2% favoured full-state funding, whilst 32.7% proposed stateprivate partnership funding. 27.8% however, disapproved with state funding of political parties arguing that Ghana is already burdened with poor health systems, lack of quality education and unemployment. The study further revealed that the political parties' programmes and activities proposed to be financed by the state principally include training of party agents, candidates and leaders (42.3%).

Journal of African elections, 2007

Political parties are the custodians of democracy. Following the return of democracy to Africa during the 'third' and 'fourth' waves, political parties are undergoing structural changes (from military and one-party authoritarianism to liberal multiparty systems) for the development of sustainable democracy. This paper is not about institutionalised political parties or party systems, it is about understanding the historical development of political parties and their transformational nature in relation to the development of democracy in Africa. The paper therefore identifies some critical challenges that are threatening the institutionalisation process of the parties. These include party funding and finance, party ideology, the dominant-party syndrome, ineffective civil society opposition and problems of fragile electoral institutions. The paper argues that though these problems are part of the wider socio-political and economic dilemmas inherent in Africa they are more pervasive and have a devastating affect on political parties as instruments of modern representative democracy. The paper thus contends that, given the main concerns and attributes of good governance, it is the only panacea that can wholly address the institutional problems of political parties as well as other structural and institutional obstacles to the development of sustainable democracy in Africa. Good governance is presumed here to be the ideal and pragmatic solution to such institutional obstacles.

Cogent Social Sciences

Democracy under any system of rule is associated with vibrant political parties and credible elections. Both are indispensable in a representative democracy. The good conduct of elections within a political party promotes and consolidates democracy. Political parties in Ghana have suffered internal conflict resulting in factions, break-away, and the formation of new parties because of undemocratic party operations especially in the conduct of primaries. This act threatens the country's attempt to consolidate its democracy. Internal party reforms are adopted to ensure democratic practices and operations. The reforms include widening the electoral base of the party in the selection of candidates, simultaneous conduction of polls across constituencies, and restriction of candidates eligible for elections. These reforms are to reduce vote-buying, intimidation, physical assault, and fierce competition to enhance legitimisation of election results and the acceptability of candidates. The paper assessed how the various reforms adopted by the two major political parties in Ghana have influenced and legitimised the conduct of presidential primaries. The paper adopted a qualitative research design through interviews and reviewed extant literature to set the theoretical basis of the study. It is realised ABOUT THE AUTHOR Michael Amoako Addae is an Mphil candidate at the University of Ghana, Legon with the Department of Political Science. He holds a Bachelor in Arts (BA) degree from the same University. His research interest covers elections, governance, democracy, gender and national development. This paper was based on the author's research in shaping and contributing to effective party politics in Ghana. The work examines how political parties can contribute to the consolidation of democracy in Ghana.

Party institutionalization in Africa, 2018

Party and party system has been imperative in development of multiparty politics and democracy in African countries. Thus, the degree of institutionalisation has been used as a mechanism to measure the level of party and party system institutionalisation by setting specific dimensions of measurement. However, institutionalisation remains a neglected area of research in Africa. In deed, this paper focuses on examining the level of party and party system institutionalisation in Africa. The paper starts by reviewing and highlighting the notable concepts therein, secondly, paper therefore to discuss and examine interchangeably the level of party and party systems institutionalisation by drawing examples from few countries in Africa. Finally, paper concludes by providing the overall level of party and party system institutionalisation in African countries.

2012

This thesis would not have been possible without enormous support from several individuals. I would like to acknowledge the invaluable support o f my supervisors, especially

Political Parties and Governance in Africa, 2018

Preface This edition is a broadened research on political parties in Africa in general. The edition is given a fresh fillip by general agitation across African states, citizens have woken up in an unusual manner to demand restructuring of the state and governance which also inspired the Department of Political Science and International Relations, Crawford University to lend its weight to the agitation by organizing the First ever Multidimensional Conference on Critical National issues entitled: Restructuring Federalism and Governance in Nigeria. The earlier edition which focused on opposition political parties and democratization in Africa has incontrovertibly filled a great vacuum on scholarly research in opposition political parties in Africa. The publication in Africa of that edition and unrelenting enquiries from students has spurred us to perfect the edition by focusing on political parties in general. There is indeed a serious gap in research in political parties in this part of the world; that gap, we hope this edition will fill. We must quickly add that while we have blazed the trail in making the populace to be better informed on the existence and activities of political parties and governance in Nigeria, there are still other issues on political parties that are open for further research. It is remarkable that while political parties have flourished in Nigeria numbering about 90 as at last count, the fundamental problem remains that of maturity and value. The recurrent decimal is that while Africa copied everything from the colonial masters, West Minster parliamentary system of government and even presidential executive type from America, African politicians have failed to imbibe the etiquette of ideology or principle in the formation of parties. In other words, the most debasing traits of African parties are lack of ideology or principle. This serious lacuna has made African Political Parties to remain a dwarf and had impacted negatively on democratization sustainability. Political Parties are the bedrock of democracy and so if political parties are not solidly rooted on a firm ideology then the superstructure cannot stand which is the central problem of African democracy, nation building and development. As a result, while democracy cannot be sustained, every other thing; governance, institution and development remain problematic. This edition has engineered a debate on the need to have ideologically based parties, a democratic institution through leadership that can promote accountability, ethical values, corruption free society, strong institutions, credible elections and self-reliant nation industrialization wise. Indeed, this book has come to deepen and expand the space of research in the earlier edition: Opposition Political Parties and Democratization in Africa. This edition, with particular focus on Political Parties in general, governance and associated institutions in the polity, the students, policy makers, researchers will have complete material and information that will assist them in digging deep into issues to strengthen the Africa’s political parties, institutions and governance in this part of the world, in fact, the African Political Parties needed reinvigoration and regeneration to have right leadership and conducive environment without which African democracy will remain stunted. Professor Gabriel lanre Adeola