Upper East Regional Deputy Women’s Organiser aspirant of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Monica Bakiva, has called for an issues based campaign devoid of personal attacks as the party prepares for its next internal elections.
Ms Bakiva, who intends to contest the Deputy Regional Women’s Organiser position, said aspirants should focus on their ideas, leadership qualities and plans for the party rather than attacking the personalities of their opponents.
“Politics of insults is not my thing. When I go on air for communication, no matter how emotional I become, I don’t attack your personality,” she said.
Ms Bakiva said her approach to political communication had been to challenge policies and actions rather than individuals, a principle she said would guide her campaign.
According to her, internal contests should not create divisions that make it difficult for party members to work together after the elections.
She said regardless of who wins or loses, the NDC would still require the contribution of its members, making it important for aspirants to conduct their campaigns in a manner that preserves relationships within the party.
Ms Bakiva also stressed the importance of humility and character in political leadership, drawing on lessons from previous elections she has contested.
She recalled losing an Assembly election by a single vote, an experience she said reinforced her belief that leadership should be centred on service rather than personal benefit.
“Humanity will always stay. So I would say that character when it comes to leadership is very, very key because titles, material possessions, everything are temporal,” she said.
Ms Bakiva said she was prepared to work with whoever eventually leads the party’s women’s wing, including the incumbent, irrespective of the outcome of the internal contest.
She said her commitment was to the NDC and urged other aspirants to remember that they would remain members of the same political organisation after the elections.
Ms Bakiva previously contested the Deputy Regional Women’s Organiser position in the NDC’s 2022 Upper East regional elections.
She polled 12 votes, three fewer than Mariama Anatia Musah, who won the position with 15 votes.
Ms Bakiva intends to contest the position again, although nominations had not opened at the time of the interview. She said she was also unaware of other aspirants who had formally declared an intention to contest the position.
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