The two dominant parties in the country�s politics, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), are gearing themselves towards electing new national executives, preparations which are showing interesting and worrying features.
Understandably, these are the most current issues on the political plane in the country today.
There is the tendency to relegate very critical national issues to the background, at least for the time that the campaigns and jockeying for positions are going on.
The NPP, as mentioned above, is not left out of the fray as its activists and office-seekers are all over the country busy with political courtship.
A beautiful picture of democracy is without doubt being presented, a veneer for the undercurrent of acrimonies and other challenges.
We pray that all involved guard against cockerel fights in which participants peck each others� eyes.
Let us all steer clear of animosity and other negative trends which would at the end of the day take almost impossible efforts to heal.
The health of our democracy depends upon how well political parties operate, especially such critical features like internal elections.
It is a household knowledge that the incumbent President and ex-President Jerry John Rawlings are locked up in a struggle for the control of the soul of the party.
The foregone notwithstanding, President Mills has told the media that his mentor is not a pain on his neck at all, making it impossible for us to offer chastisement where it ought to be done.
This has not convinced most Ghanaians who think the President is either throwing dust into our eyes or merely playing the ostrich. We are compelled, after a serious consideration, to go with the former.
Like the proverbial crab, we very much believe that the President knows what he is doing.
What we are worried about is the turn the disagreement between the two persons is taking and how this is affecting the affairs of the party.
While some think that the NDC congress would be devoid of security challenges, others think otherwise.
Such electoral exercises for us should not be a matter of life and death as some are taking them.
Bringing horsewhips or �baranzims� to venues of such exercises, as witnessed some years ago, are not helpful to our political development.
Beating media personnel and even those within the party but sharing opposing views about issues should be detested by all means possible.
Should our entreaties and those of others fail to impact positively on the congress, a dangerous trend would be posted.
Our President should not be preoccupied with such issues at this time when national challenges like the strengthening of institutions and others are begging for attention.
The bad blood between the ex-President and the incumbent one is to the least distractive, and should not be allowed at all.
It is clear that ex-President Rawlings is turning out to be a fifth columnist, characteristically, opening up a front behind.
While some may consider the negative development as welcome, we think otherwise because for us, the country needs a far-sighted President to lead the country.
We also need strong political parties because our democracy revolves around these. Pettiness and acrimony as being exhibited are inimical to our democratic development.
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