I know of a Minister of State whose daughter lost her voter ID after the last election and has vowed not to renew it. Reason? She politely asked the dad: “What’s there to vote for?”
I know a female NPP sympathiser, a fairly rich woman who, in the last election, paid for the marginalised in her area to travel to their home towns to vote, and “vote well”. Only six months ago, she told me, “I won’t vote again”. Someone who heard of her resolution attempted to persuade her to vote against NPP. “Ho, NDC? They are worse!” she hissed but added with a tone of regret in her voice: “I could consider them if they had any other candidate but Mahama.”
Similar sentiments run through phone calls daily from radio listeners.
In a scenario not unrelated to political choices, I listened to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on both Citi FM and Joy FM last Wednesday night in interviews concerning NDC’s letter petitioning the United States to probe the PDS-ECG saga. Even his worst enemies know that I have respect for his sharp brains. He lost that on Wednesday. Besides his unconvincing line or reasoning, he totally misconducted himself. His answers betrayed a party in desperate need of a straw.
But what was most revolting was his direct attack on the journalistic integrity of the interviewer, Umaru Sanda, that intelligent young man who anchors the Citi Eye Witness News. Merely because a journalist is punching holes in your argument does not make them a ”spinner” sympathetic to your political opponent. I shuddered to imagine this politician on BBC’s ‘Hard Talk’ programme!
Much as I disagreed with Okudzeto Ablakwa on the PDS affair, however, I had no grounds to dismiss his remark about the incumbent President’s penchant for exonerating his appointees who have had to face probes. I raise my fist to Professor Kwame Karikari for his recommendations during the Joy News (TV) interview this week. I am of the opinion that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo is, by his deafening silence, denting his image as a human/media rights advocate and erasing his own history in anti-corruption crusades.
What can justify his government’s refusal, so far, to release the report of the Ayawaso West Wuogon shooting probe for which the country engaged some of the finest minds of the land? The delay only crystalises suspicion that some NPP ox may be in danger of being gored. Nothing justifies this delay, Mr President, Nothing!
While a criticism is not necessarily equivalent to a voter decision, I have learned that the likes of Professor Karikari, Pastor Mensa Otabil, Chief Imam Sharubutu, Imani’s Franklin Cudjoe etc do not necessarily vote on party lines: they belong to the floating voter population, that percentage of voters who swing election results with their like-minded neutral mass.
I repeat my opinion about Ghanaians. They may look tame, but they don’t allow anybody to take them for granted. What pisses them off is impunity — and I dare repeat that if impunity came with a stench, Ghanaians would be blocking their nostrils against many of President Akufo-Addo’s 110 ministers and other appointees.
Free SHS, fine; but President Akufo -Addo is squandering the precious goodwill of 2016. Is nobody telling the President that Ghanaians are discussing alternatives, only three years into his rule! Nothing lasts forever, except the love of God.
So here comes the question. Is there a credible and viable third force in Ghana politics? I believe there is. It may be in the CPP, and all the party needs to establish this position is only five per cent of the votes in 2020. With five per cent off, both the NDC and the NPP will gasp. The CPP would become the kingmakers.
I believe that only two personalities in the party can swing this margin for it. They are Kwesi Pratt and Kweku Baako. Ghanaians love and hate them with equal intensity — because often, their debaters cannot stand the superiority of their argument.
Since Kwesi Pratt has had a stint at the Parliamentary level (he lost only because he was stabbed in the back by the alliance) and since he is one year older than Baako, I tip him to be the flag bearer, with Kweku as running mate. Unfortunately, both of them are Fante. As a counter, the CPP can play the religious card: one is Muslim, one is unencumbered.
We need a third force in this nation. Forget that America and Britain have a two-party tradition. By the voting patterns at Westminster and Capitol Hill, it is obvious that unlike most of Africa, party affiliation does not sit on top of nationalism. Independent-mindedness cushions them against the evils of two-party dominance. It’s the invincibility that breeds impunity.
People cite President Hilla Limann’s loss of the budget vote in the Parliament of the Second Republic as proof that we can refuse to toe party line. Read political scientists. They will tell you that vote was fingered by the President’s own party financiers, who feared that if Limann opted for IMF oversight, they could not exploit the import licensing and administrative control system.
I am certain that outside of a Pratt-Baako ticket, the CPP has very few credible options.
Source: Daily Graphic
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President Kwasi Pratt! From the where ? Two qualities that disqualify them; Leadership and Discipline ! Kwasi Pratt is an authority on Communism never have any logical view only commaradship then Kwaku Baako is a good material for the classroom. Your view that Kwasi Pratt is older than Kwaku Baako is neither here nor there. Kwaku Baako is very constructive than Kwasi Pratt.By the way do one has to be a President before one can help his/her Country? Both are not the answer. Daily Graphic is this a JOKE ???
I think this is the right time for Kwesi Pratt and Kwaku Baako to run for public office. They have been making too much political noises for a very long time, and now that Ghanaians are tired of NPP and NDC they pretty much stand a good chance of winning. Now, the big question is: who will be the president and who will be the vice?
Fair analyis in general; but conclusion on Pratt-Baako ticket throws out every important point earlier made. See, the NPP has not been, and indeed cannot be PERFECT. We should not expect perfection from them. We should rather make sure, everyone of their number who misuses state funds gets punished. But look broader at the bigger picture. We cannot vote a party into power and within BARELY three (2.6 yrs rougly) years EXPECT SO MUCH from them! Especially looking at where the NDC left us. We were under IMF for some two years under this Government. GDP had come way done to the 3 or 4 zone. A new government comes and introduces FAR-REACHING policies in year 1 of the administration. Today, national health insurance is working - and numbers are increasing DAILY under the scheme. Digitization of the economy, planting for food and jobs (PFJ), PERD, national ID sysem (for the first time since 2007, you actually saw a MASSIVE rollout and yes, I got one), GDP is in the 8 zone. Then Free SHS - in September 1.2 million students are enrolling! What? Several othr programs are afoot. The SEEDS for our development are being sown everyday under this government. Yes the crooks in NPP will continue to try and sometimes succeed in fleecing the system. BUT, we change this government to the doom of GHANA. That's when I'll stop voting, even if necessary ponder over no vote in the first place. Now talk about the NDC. Next year we're in a major election. Has anyone heard ONE policy IDEA Mahama and his NDC have placed in the IDEAS BASKET? Isn't it intriguing the NDC ACTUALLY thinks of coming back to power. It is so incorrect that I think patriotism is missing from their stables. If they loved Ghana and not party or themselves, they'd allow this government to continue - yea, can be naive, i know... Look, journalists in this country can fuel discontent with these types of write-ups. We rather need to checkmate the NPP to rise up to the task. But contemplating on NDC and Mahama is such a scary thought which is so laden with doom for Ghana, that we should never mention it at all! Huh? And indeed is more dangerous than the joke of the Pratt-Baako ticket!
What does this mean, really from a state media? eeeeei! so many characters criss crossing this publication and making it ***barred word***! aaah do will still have some f00*00ls in Ghana/ Black Africa as Trump has been saying that we don't know what we want? is he right in saying Black Africans like complaining and rejoice in praising and singing for political leaders who are corrupt and don't think a hoot about them? is he right in saying drill oil well for them and confusion all over for the rest of their lives? what is this, do we really reason or our schools produce idi*ots especially school of journalism!huuh! he said black Africans love to hate, env*y and bitterness! give them money for development and they will fight over it. Donald Trump said it right, he never insulted Africans he said what we are !I feel pity for Ghana because of her enemies within!