Spio may be seeking to negotiate a position – Pratt

The Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Mr. Kwesi Pratt, says Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah may not contest the NDC flagbearership race if he is able to negotiate for a position.

Dr. Spio-Garbrah on Tuesday May 10, resigned his position as one of the Vice Chairmen of the NDC, to pick up nomination forms by proxy to contest President Mills and Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, at the party’s Presidential primary scheduled for July 8, 2011 in Sunyani.

But Mr. Kwesi Pratt has told Citi News that from the statement issued by Dr. Garbrah on his fun page on the social networking site, Facebook, it was clear that he is seeking to negotiate a settlement rather than going the full length.

He however noted that the one-time Communications Minister’s wish to contest cannot be ruled out.

“For a long time Dr. Spio-Garbrah has complained that he has been neglected by the current administration, and he has made the point that he has not been offered any position. There was a time when he spoke at the Teachers Hall and actually made a claim that he had not even been made a Board member. So I will be surprised if that is not part of his thinking and this whole framework for negotiation,” Mr. Pratt said.

Commenting on the deep cracks within the NDC, Mr. Pratt dispelled the notion that the happenings could lead to the party’s implosion.

He also said the occurrence does not necessarily symbolize growing internal democracy but rather a struggle for individual positioning.

“It is about individual positioning. It is about laying claim to who has control and what level of control they do have in the party. It is not an implosion. I do not see how these happenings will lead to the destruction of the NDC. It will establish once and for all the most popular personalities within the NDC who have the support of the people to speak on behalf of membership” he noted.

Asked what could become of the party after the Congress, Mr. Pratt said the stalemate could worsen only if the election becomes a close contest.

He said if anyone wins by a landslide, the position will be clear and understood by all, although some loopholes must still be filled.

According to him, the level of acrimony during the campaigning period, will also determine the after effects of the congress.

“My own inclination is that, the President will win by a landslide. He has always done so at NDC congresses. Even when he contested with three people, he still managed to score about 80% and I think that will be repeated this time round” he noted.

He said if Professor Mills emerges the winner, those who strongly oppose him will be left with two options, either to leave or stay with the party, and respect the leader’s decisions.

Source: Citifmonline.com/Ghana