Folks, let me return to the views that I have already expressed to suggest that the public posturing, unsettling utterances, machinations, and display of dare-devil foolishness by the officials of the Electoral Commission appointed by Akufo-Addo to sing his song endanger Ghana’s democracy.
What Jean Mensa and Bossman Asare have “showcased” thus far isn’t what will grow Ghana’s democracy, especially when their appointment and mad rush to subvert the system are viewed against the background of the mischievous circumstances under which Mrs. Charlotte Osei was kicked out of office by Akufo-Addo.
No long story. Akufo-Addo and his NPP camp got rid of Mrs. Osei in the mistaken belief that planting their own surrogates at the helm of affairs in the EC would have the way for their easy walk to victory at Election 2020.
Not only that. They saw how they manipulated the system to win Election 2016 as a clear and reliable blueprint to rely on for Election 2020 and beyond, which explains the manouevres so far made and the setting of the agenda to do more egregious things to retain Akufo-Addo in power.
Having monitored happenings thus far, I can say with all certainty that Akufo-Addo and the NPP are still fixated on mechanics, not the reality on the ground that will separate Election 2020 from Election 2016.
Just a simple claim here to explain why.
The atmosphere in Ghana prior to Election 2016 didn’t favour Mahama and the NDC because of many factors, much of which Akufo-Addo and Bawumia led the trumpeting team to sing on roof tops to create the impression that they would out-perform Mahama.
Happenings under Akufo-Addo and Bawumia have quickly turned Mahama into a saint. Don’t ask for any clarification or expatiation.
Scared stiff by the resurgence of Mahama, the loquacious but empty Akufo-Addo and his comical Bawumia are hamstring.
Utterances from them reveal that they are still fixated on using the strategies for Election 2016—attacking the personality of Mahama and repeating the cacophonous slogan of “incompetence” and “corruption”—to win voter support.
Over the bar!!!
Ghanaians have Mahama’s records in office to compare to/with Akufo-Addo’s, especially, basing everything on the fight against corruption and solving existential problems (infrastructure as the main one).
Ghanaians were misled to see Mahama as the cause of their woes. What they have felt in only three years under Akufo-Addo will influence their electoral decision at Election 2020, not how much denigration us done against Mahama.
There comes in the lopsidedness at the Electoral Commission and the justification for my claim that Jean Mensa and her team can do their best or worst, but Ghanaians feeling the biting/harsh/excruciating impact of Akufo-Addo’s incompetence will express their will, whether they vote or not.
All the schemes being hatched cannot prevent them from separating the chaff from the grain.
And the schemes include what messed up the attempt at hob-nobbing to prepare the grounds for a clean and clear Election 2020.
The news reports make it clear:
1. “Other issues raised by the party (the NDC) include the EC’s decision to entrust its data with the Director-General of NCA, Joe Anokye who has tainted his reputation by openly declaring his membership as a member of the ruling NPP.”
2. “As a follow up to register their displeasure, the NDC, together with four other parties walked out of the IPAC meeting – United Front Party, the Eagle Party, the All People’s Congress, People’s National Congress (PNC).
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
Reaction from the NPP camp suggests that Joe Anokye is their accredited representative at the IPAC and that he will not be replaced, regardless of the stiff opposition from the NDC.
I wonder how these NPP people think. Considering their vain lung-bursting complaints against the Israeli STC communications company at Elections 2012 and 2016, one would hardly expect them to present Anokye as their political voice at the IPAC, knowing very well how he helped them frustrate the EC in the compilation and transmission of results at Election 2016 to make Akufo-Addo the winner (Go and ask their own Kennedy Agyapong). How do they think at all?
Then comes in their illegal moves toward a new biometric voters register. Once they insisted on the Ghana Card as the basis for determining “Ghanaianness”, they set tongues wagging.
The frustrations that occasioned the acquisition of this card speak volumes but boil down to one disturbing fact: an orchestrated attempt to disfranchise voters, especially those in areas perceived as pro-NDC.
The scheming that characterized the registration exercise is ample evidence. Then, add the Comical Bawumia’s allegations against Ghanaians residing in Togo to the lot, and you should be at home.
Here is the fiat. No matter what window-dressing Akufo-Addo does, no matter how much vilification is done against Mahama, the will of the people will prevail at Election 2020.
Victory can be won only on the altar of achievement, not promises or subterfuge. An aggrieved Ghanaian will make the difference!!
By: Dr. Michael Jarvis Bokor
