Founder of the Us-based Diaspora Progressive Movement, Dr. Lawrence Appiah has taken a swipe at the ruling New Patriotic Party over their reaction to John Mahama’s ‘do or die’ comment, describing it as crooked, and thus urged the NDC not to treat it as just a slogan rather stay on the message.
It follows the backlashes the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2020 Presidential Candidate, John Dramani Mahama has received after proclaiming that the 2024 elections will be a ‘do or die’ affair at the polling and collation centers amid his Thank You’ tour of the Bono East Region.
Reacting to this in an article Dr. Appiah said, “The way NPP is reacting to President Mahama’s “Do and Die” is like a man who bought a wild dog into his house after he had been robbed two times in two days. Then a man in the neighborhood went to every house seeking support to condemn the man for buying the dog. Who do you think was the one who robbed the man? Clearly, that man is the thief”.
It will be recalled that, on December 30, 2020, John Mahama filed a petition challenging the results of the general polls, insisting that none of the nine presidential candidates obtained the mandatory 50%+1 vote constitutional threshold to be declared the winner of the polls.
Mr. Mahama based his arguments on some declaration errors made by the EC as well as allegations of vote padding and pray the court to declare the EC’s declaration of President Nana Akufo-Addo the winner of the polls as unconstitutional, null and void.
But three months after the trial commenced, the Supreme Court, ruled that the petition as filed by John Mahama was without merit.
This according to the NDC gave rise to their decision that everything about elections must be settled at the various polling stations irrespective of the shape or form it will assume.
Mr. Mahama remark has been well accepted by the NDC grassroots, hence lauded him for the adroit mentality with which he to want approach the 2024 election, affirming “a call for do or die approach in election 2024 is an unwritten code to guide everybody that what is accepted as ballot cast and declared at every polling station should form the basis on which the next President is declared winner”.
In reflection of this, Dr. Appiah called on the NDC not to make the confidence the ‘do or die’ remark has formulated among the grassroots vain.
“But the enthusiasm this “Do or Die” thing has created amongst the grassroots is not the end. We still have about three years to ensure the “Do or Die” becomes real and therefore, “want to propose to the NDC what we will do to ensure that “Do or Die” doesn’t become just a slogan”.
The Chairman of Friends of John Dramani Mahama (North America) further charged the NDC party to focus on selecting National Executives, Constituency Executives, Polling Agents who will be committed to the “do or die” affair, insisting the party must make sure Regional Collation Centers are abolished in 2024.
“The first thing NDC should ensure is that the Regional collation centers are abolished in 2024. NDC is in opposition in part because of the rigging that went on at the Regional Collation Centers. Those who know, know”.
“NDC should elect National Executives who will be committed to the “Do or Die” affair. We all know what happened at the Ayawaso by-elections after NDC had assured the grassroots that the NDC will match the NPP boot for boot. We can’t win 2024 if NDC doesn’t make it a “Do or Die” affair and we will need people who will lead and be committed to that fight of winning for JM and the NDC”, the statement added.
Dr. Lawrence Appiah, therefore, opined that “the earlier NDC start working on some of these proposals, the better”.
“We should not wait until the last minute. I am not campaigning for or against anybody but those who have ears should listen, and remember that those who vote don’t decide anything. Those that count the votes are those that decide everything”, the statement read.
See the full article below:
Dr. Lawrence writes:
Stay on the message, print T shirts for “Do or Die” in 2024
The way NPP is reacting to President Mahama’s “Do and Die” is like a man who bought a wild dog into his house after he had been robbed two times in two days. Then a man in the neighborhood went to every house seeking support to condemn the man for buying the dog. Who do you think was the one who robbed the man? Clearly, that man is the thief.
Simply put, Do and Die at polling stations means how many people voted for NDC and how many voted for NPP. In other words, “Do and Die” means being vigilant but “All die be die” means being violent. The two are not the same.
But the enthusiasm this “Do or Die” thing has created amongst the grassroots is not the end. We still have about three years to ensure the “Do or Die” becomes real.
I want to propose to the NDC what we will do to ensure that “Do or Die” doesn’t become just a slogan.
1. Regional Collation Centers. The first thing NDC should ensure is that the Regional collation centers are abolished in 2024. NDC is in opposition in part because of the rigging that went on at the Regional Collation Centers. Those who know, know.
2. Polling Agents. NDC should be selective in appointing their Polling Agents in 2024. When I went round in 2020, I saw some Polling Agents who were between the ages of 15 to 18. These children could easily be sent to buy food or water. Even adults were sent out in 2020. Agents leaving their stations should never happen again.
I also realized that some Polling Agents were there because of the money and not because they were committed to their responsibilities. Some have been Polling Agents since 1992. They therefore see everything as “business as usual” They go there, drink tea and have fun.
3. Constituency Executives. The 2024 elections will be won at the constituency collation centers. NDC should find a way to get branches to elect committed constituency Executives. Most of the Constituency Chairmen were not at the collation centers in 2020. Simply, they were not committed. I am not saying some rigging took place but chances that rigging could take place in 2024 is very high. Let’s avoid that.
4. National Executives. NDC should elect National Executives who will be committed to the “Do or Die” affair. We all know what happened at the Ayawaso by-elections after NDC had assured the grassroots that the NDC will match the NPP boot for boot. We can’t win 2024 if NDC doesn’t make it a “Do or Die” affair and we will need people who will lead and be committed to that fight of winning for JM and the NDC.
5. The Hawks. I will not talk more about the Hawks but the NDC should put on the table the idea of bringing back the hawks. Some of the results would have been different if we had people protecting the EC Officers and the ballot boxes. We know those who helped to change the results in favor of the NPP were not from the regular police and military. NDC was misled.
To conclude. Today’s date is September 12, 2021 and elections will be on December 7, 2024 but the earlier NDC start working on some of these proposals, the better. We should not wait until the last minute. I am not campaigning for or against anybody but those who have ears should listen, and remember that those who vote don’t decide anything. Those that count the votes are those that decide everything.
I have not started writing yet.
Mahama beba.
Dr. Lawrence is the Chairman of Friends of John Dramani Mahama (North America).