The former First Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, who left the party to become an opposition Parliamentarian, only to cross the carpet back to the NPP has hit back at his critics.
In an article published in The Statesman (see P 7) Wayo Seini says free movement of people across parties in response to political or social situations must be seen as a right of the citizenry in a multi-party democracy. He argues against such a person being labelled as “opportunist, stomach politician, traitor, etc.”
He mentions the great British premier Winston Churchill and a founding father of the Danquah-Busia tradition, J A Braimah as prime examples of principled politicians who have crossed carpets in the past and later returned to their parent parties, to leave indelible footprints.
Prof Wayo Seini writes: “In our current political dispensation, there are several people who previously belonged to other parties (or traditions) than the parties they currently belong to. Indeed, the concept of all-inclusive government has enabled many to seize the opportunity to serve the NPP government when they were not part of the sweat and toils of the rank and file of the party.
“In my specific case, the reasons for my resignation from the NPP in October 2003 and my subsequent joining of the NDC six months later and my return to the NPP in March this year were clearly stated and I need not repeat them here.” He adds, “I have never on a single day regretted doing the Churchill, for it has enabled me not only to make friends (particularly among the NDC members of parliament) on the other side of the divide, but it has equipped me with a broader political horizon to enable me understand and appreciate the intricacies of the political game in the Ghanaian context.”
Below is the full text of Prof Wayo Seini’s article as appeared in The Statesman:
Source: GhanaWeb
