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Opinions of Monday, 26 October 2020

Columnist: Wisdom K.E Hammond

The automatic losers of the 2020 elections are too many

The automatic losers of the 2020 Elections are too many The automatic losers of the 2020 Elections are too many

The December 7th election in Ghana will be a big contest by the automatic losers of the 2020 Elections are too many. This year's presidential election would be contested by 12 candidates, but I bet to differ that the automatic losers just countless.

Election 2020 outcome will undoubtedly be between the NPP's Nana Akuffo Addo and the NDC's John Dramani Mahama. The remaining 10 would not come near the votes of the NPP and NDC.

These 10 other candidates have done a great disservice to this nation by not even thinking of forming a formidable third force by uniting to present one candidate, pool their resources and efforts together to wrestle power from the twin evils (NDC & NPP) of Ghana's fourth republic.

The individualistic mindset of the 9 smaller parties and the independent candidate who made it to the ballot paper for the 2020 general elections are the next biggest problem of this nation.

We have been crying for a formidable third force in Ghana's political landscape, but it will not be in 2020.

If these other ten contestants are hungry for electoral victory in the 2020 elections, they should have built a synergy by forming a united front. A United Front Party (UFP) by these smaller parties who will not win the 2020 general election must begin to engage their attention. They must think of the collective interest of the masses who are calling for a third force in 2024. Ghana's tired with their little to no influence as individual units.

However, who among them is ready to sacrifice his or her personal ambition of becoming the president-elect? Their personal ambitions and reasons for contesting in the elections year after year are the guiding steps of their quest. But why fight a battle when you know you will suffer a big loss?

Most if not all of them may be using this opportunity to realize their personal dreams, build a rich CV, or some other ambition.

This is why Ghanaians would not place any serious premium on their ticket in any election. Before the battle lines are drawn on December 7th, Ghanaians know that the automatic losers of the 2020 elections are too many.

The qualified candidates for the election are President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), former President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Ivor Kobina Greenstreet of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Mr Kofi Akpaloo of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG), Ms Brigitte Dzogbenuku of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) and Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings of the National Democratic Party (NDP).

The rest are Madam Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Mr Christian Kwabena Andrews of the Ghana Union Movement (GUM), Mr Asiedu Walker, an independent candidate; Mr Hassan Ayariga of the All People’s Congress (APC), Mr David Apasera of the People’s National Convention (PNC) and Mr Henry Herbert Lartey of the Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP)

By virtue of the low power of the 3 to 13 candidates and their inability to influence voters and the results on December 7th, 2020, makes the NPP and NDC more attractive and draws the battle line between the two. The 5 disqualified candidates should also begin to see a union party as the way to go if we are to send the NDC and NPP into opposition in 2024.

One or a few of the 10 other candidates must begin to show leadership by starting the crusade to form a United Front Party (UFP) for election 2024 because heaven knows none of them has the capacity to win the 2020 December election. Each one of the ten other candidates who will be on the ballot paper for the 2020 December 7th election knows they will get less than 5% of the total votes on the day.

This article is not to belittle their dreams and aspirations but to express the bitter truth that these automatic losers of the 2020 elections need to unite if they want to throw the NDC and NPP into opposition in future elections.

Truth be told, the 2020 election is a battle set for the NPP and the NDC. The 10 others took bad investment decisions as individuals and smaller parties to battle the two giants when a common front would have given them a better impact and make them a powerful third force in the upcoming election.

Sad to say, they are dead horses.