Stephen Ayensu Ntim has suffered four humiliating and painful defeats ever since he conceived the idea of becoming National chairman of NPP 17 years ago.
However, he is not giving up on trying and has submitted his nomination forms for a fifth attempt ahead of next month’s congress in Accra.
Both political observers and party followers have been wondering what and why Mr. Ntim is determined to become NPP chairman.
Is it just for the sake of it, or does he have something special for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that can only be possible with him as chairman?
Have those four painful and humiliating defeats he suffered increased his bitterness as sometimes heard in his utterance or he has become a better man politically and learned to forgive and build bridges with those people in the party who don’t believe in him?
One person that Mr. Ntim and his campaigners are aware of and can say privately and in their minds that he has been a hindrance to his dream of becoming NPP Chairman is Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Akufo, the President of the Republic.
Though the President has not shown any sign this time around, he doesn’t like Ntim and like the last four chairmanship elections, it is widely known that he has never believed in the Ntim project from day one.
In 2005 when the establishment was fully behind Ntim, the President was on the side of his 2016 and 2020 campaign manager Peter Mac Manu and Ntim lost painfully.
When Ntim contested with a childhood friend of President Akufo-Addo in the person of the late Jake Obetsebi Lamptey in the 2010 chairmanship race, Ntim again lost and when everyone thought 2012 was Ntim’s time, he lost again because the Akufo-Addo campaign threw their weight behind Fred Oware and Paul Afoko came through.
After winning the 2016 election, Akufo-Addo appointed Stephen Ntim as Board Chairman of the Lands Commission and this brought a lot of hope to the Ntim camp because in their view his appointment is an indication that he has found favour in the sight of the President who has been a hindrance to his chairmanship ambition.
However, with the 2020 election ahead of him and Afoko lessons on his mind, the President’s team hand-picked Alhaji Short for 2018 chairmanship but realizing that Alhaji Short was not flying, and with barely two months to the party election, the presidency threw their support behind Freddie Blay against Ntim and as expected he lost painfully
Incidentally, Ntim’s two main competitors Stephen Asamoah Boateng and Professor Ameyaw Akumfi have both been with his campaign at one point when he made his decision to become NPP chairman in 2005
Two former party executives, one at the Presidency and the other a Minister who was with Ntim when he was a Vice-chairman, said in a conversation after his defeat in 2018 in Koforidua that Ntim is not strong to lead NPP.
They also think he is not a unifier and harbours a lot of bitterness in him and cites audio ahead of the 2018 election in which Mr. Ntim was heard saying he is not going to be Afoko.
“I am not fighting for anybody but fighting for my heart’s desire,” he said on the audio and this according to his opponents only confirms his real intent.
Mr. Ntim is stepping up for his 5th attempt under the slogan ‘Time Aso’ campaign and has restated his reason for chairmanship position to break the ‘8’.
In a letter announcing his ongoing meeting with delegates, he said, “My resolve to always avail myself to be elected as the National Chairman of the party NPP emanates from my belief that the fast movement of our development and success as a country requires an NPP government and an overwhelming parliamentary majority.
“My Campaign will focus on strengthening the party, creating equitable opportunities for all members and rewarding loyalty and hard work.
“My prayer is that you, our cherished delegates, will find favour in my loyalty to our great party and demonstrable leadership qualities required to break the 8 and elect me as your next National Chairman,” stated Mr. Ntim in the letter he signed.
There seems to be genuine sympathy for Ntim this time around and the hope of those who think he should be given a chance is that he won’t blow it up with utterances that suggest a hidden intention.
