Dr. Daniel Ziba , an aspirant for the National Treasurer position of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Upper East Region, has issued a stark critique of the region’s voting patterns, urging electorates to prioritize development over partisan loyalty.
He contends that despite fielding superior candidates, the NPP continues to lose parliamentary seats because voters fail to assess candidates’ individual merits and track records.
Speaking candidly on A1 Radio, Dr. Ziba argued that in the 2024 elections, NPP parliamentary candidates were “miles ahead” of their National Democratic Congress (NDC) counterparts in terms of “commitment, personal resources, and purpose” toward constituency development.
He expressed frustration that this perceived advantage did not translate into electoral success, with the party struggling to even secure 40% of the vote in many constituencies.
“I want this region to always sit down and look at ourselves,” Dr. Daniel stated. “Should we give NDC a free hand in the region to operate?”
He alleged that once elected, many NDC MPs become complacent, focusing on personal growth rather than the development of their constituencies.
“They get there, they relax. I mean, won’t you relax? If you have about 60% of the votes here. You know very well that, you just tell them, ‘I’m NDC,'” he said, suggesting that safe seats breed political negligence.
Dr. Ziba challenged voters to move beyond what he termed mindless partisan “jumping” and to critically examine candidates. “Please, let’s not just endorse anybody who says I am NDC… Where are you coming from? What have you done in your constituency, in your community?”
Drawing a parallel to the NPP’s recent loss of some seats in its Ashanti Region stronghold, he posited that such defeats serve as a healthy democratic signal to underperforming incumbents.
He lamented that the Upper East Region fails to send the same message, recalling that even during the NPP’s national landslide in 2016, the region awarded the party only a handful of seats.
“This trend must be looked at if only we need development in this region,” Dr. Daniel concluded, asserting that until voters hold all representatives accountable, regardless of party, the cycle of underdevelopment will persist.
Source: A1 Radio | 101.1Mhz | Moses Apiah | Bolgatanga
