Opinions of Friday, 27 January 2017

Columnist: Badu, K

NDC’s 2016 election defeat facts finding committee: Don’t look beyond Mahama

Former President Mahama Former President Mahama

Obviously, the shock of the 2016 election defeat prompted the leadership of the NDC Party to set up a sleuth-hound Committee to let the “non-existent cat out of the bag.”

Apparently, the NDC leadership’s election defeat facts finding Committee would seem puzzling to many discerning Ghanaians, given the irrevocable incompetence, corruption and shenanigans they exhibited throughout their tenure in office.

So, one may pose: what more evidence do they want to find about their 2016 election defeat?

Anyway, however baffling it may seem, they are within their right to go out there and conduct their facts finding.

Well, if the Committee would care to know, I have admissible evidence which contributed to the NDC’s election 2016 defeat.

Prior to the 2016 general election, my long-term friend Kofi, who had seen enough of the rot in his beloved NDC and President Mahama’s government threatened to walk out of the NDC Party.

My pal Kofi contended that he had been defending and promoting the party’s much touted ethos of probity and accountability for well over twenty three years, but lost the zeal to continue, as the sleaze and corruption in President Mahama’s government reached immeasurable proportions.

Kofi however insisted that the straw that broke the camel’s back was when President Mahama unjustifiably gave Madam Akua Donkor of Ghana Freedom Party (GFP) two four wheel drive cars and a luxury bungalow for no work done.

Apparently, my mate Kofi’s beef stemmed from the fact that he had worked his socks off all those years for the Party to enjoy power, meanwhile he has nothing to show for his efforts.

Kofi was thus flabbergasted that parasitic creatures like Madam Akua Donkor were needlessly being showered with all sorts of melodic gifts.

Unsurprisingly, however, Kofi demitted his role in the NDC party prior to the 2016 election and confided in me that he was not even going to travel to his polling station on the voting day.

In fact, he did not see the urgent need to vote for NDC and President Mahama. Kofi was indeed distraught about Mahama’s handling of the economy and his maladaptive laissez faire leadership.

Truly, I would have loved for my friend Kofi to vote for a more formidable and competent Nana Akufo Addo, but Kofi was so aggrieved, and did not even want to vote for anyone. To be quite honest, I would not blame him for taking such decision.

Indeed, President Mahama and his NDC government disappointed the vast majority of Ghanaians with their maladaptive governance. Hence most discerning Ghanaians did not see the need to travel to their polling stations to cast their vote.

Plus, a large number of Ghanaians, including NDC supporters were not so keen about the leadership style of President Mahama and thus threatened on numerous occasions to show him the exit.

Take, for example, leading to the 2016 general election, there were numerous publications on the actions and inactions of the ever so unhappy NDC Party supporters.

“NDC Supporters Threaten To Leave Party Over Preferential Treatment Given To John Dumelo, Mr Beautiful, Tracey Boakye and co” (ghanakasa.com).

“Angry residents of Gbulung and its surrounding communities in the Kumbungu District of the Northern Region have threatened to boycott the 2016 polls if government fails to fix their road”.

“About a thousand of them including sub and youth chiefs, opinion leaders and assembly members, joined a massive demonstration on Wednesday August 17, 2016 to express their anger”.

“They held placards some of which read, “John Mahama stop sleeping, “NDC since 92 why,” “JM it is going against us why,” “We are tired, no road no vote,” “John Mahama, remember where you are coming from” (cityfmonline.com).

“Ho residents in the Volta region, called the bluff of the Volta regional Minister, Madam Helen Notoso as they protested over the poor road networks in the municipality”. The aggrieved residents say they are tired of government’s failure to fix the bad roads in the area. “The protestors ignored warnings from the Police and the regional minister not to demonstrate without police protection”.

“The poor turnout did not however prevent the protestors from presenting a petition to the president through the regional minister”.

“Some of the demonstrators speaking to Starr News said the bad nature of the roads is making life unbearable for residents”. “They warned the governing NDC they are likely to lose more votes in the region in the upcoming 2016 elections if the government does not pay attention to their needs” (starrfmonline.com; peacefmonline.com; ghanaweb.com; modernghana.com).

Obviously, I share my friend Kofi and other discerning Ghanaians pain. However, they should never make the catastrophic mistake of not voting in the general election in the future.

I suggest they should rather do away with devoted attachment, and vote for a positive change by voting out the non-performing administration.

And my advice to the NDC’s election defeat facts finding Committee is: look no further than the unpardonable mistakes committed by President Mahama and his government.

K. Badu, UK.