We have to teach politicians a lesson - Kwesi Pratt

The Managing Editor of the Daily Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has said it is time for electorates to teach politicians important lessons and hold them accountable for their actions.

His comment comes on the back of the New Patriotic Party (NPP)’s loss in the Assin North by-election despite the rapid infrastructural developments that were deployed to the constituency before and during the by-election.

According to him, this demonstration of resistance by electorates against politicians' arrogance and impunity could mark the beginning of a new trend in the political landscape of the country.

Kwesi Pratt was speaking on Accra-based Metro TV.

According to him, politicians have always gotten away with campaign tactics such as the rapid construction of roads among other things.

However, these tactics didn’t work in the case of the Assin North by-election as the electorates refused to fall to the typical tactics employed by politicians in elections.

“Over the last couple of years, from 1992 politicians have generally gotten away with their arrogance and impunity. There is a by-election, they go and do their thing, asphalted the road, and so on and they win. This is the first time we find people in a constituency so defiant.

“I think this level of defiance is impressive and I think also, this is how trends begin,” he said.

The renowned journalist added that the results from the Assin North by-election highlight the importance of teaching politicians an essential lesson emphasising that they are not superior beings over the electorates.

“And I suspect very strongly that a new trend is emerging in our politics. And if I am right, that will be very good for our politics. I think it is time we teach our leaders and politicians important lessons. They have to learn that they are not supermen, they are not brainier than the rest of the population. But they are there because the population put them there to serve. And if they don’t do what the population expects, there will be a moment of accountability,” he added.

Kwesi Pratt also argued that it is time to demystify these myths surrounding constitutional bodies making them untouchable.

“This trend is going to be very important, especially when we have now gotten into an era where every constitutional body claims to be about the people; the EC claims it is independent and nobody can tell it what to do, the Supreme Court says they are above everybody among others, all these myths need to be shut.

“Why, even the constitution itself which creates these bodies can be changed,” Kwesi Pratt noted.

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