Political Scientist wades into Spio-Ahwoi row

The NDC, unlike NPP, had not been noted for such open discussions of issues affecting the party A Political Scientist, Dr Kumi Ansah-Koi, says the raging storm within the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) involving two of the party's heavyweights, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah and Mr Ato Ahwoi, is healthy for intraparty democracy in the country. He, however, disapproved of the discussion being reduced to personal vendetta and asked the NDC chairman to call a truce because that could lead to compromising party cohesion. Criticism of the performance of the Mills administration by Dr Spio-Garbrah in the Daily Graphic about two weeks ago has attractedcritical comments from Mr Ahwoi. According to Dr Ansah-Koi, who is a senior lecturer at the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana, the open discussionswere very good for the NDC because the freedom to express different opinions was an indication that internal party democracy was growing within the party. He said the NDC, unlike the New Patriotic Party (NPP), had not been noted for such open discussions of issues affecting the party, pointing out that it was good for the party to shed that cloak. Dr, Ansah-Koi said with elections far away from now, the party would emerge the winner at the end of the day. "It's unfortunate that the issue is being made too personal," he observed, cautioning that if the issue was not raised above personal vendetta, it could lead to a break in the party. On the way forward, Dr Ansah-Koi called on the NDC chairman to call a truce, in view of the personal vendetta that had characterised the discussions, otherwise he (the chairman) would be seen as a mere figurehead. Source: Daily Graphic