They say they are us… and we are them. They say we are all but the same; the same blood, skin and heart. They say we should have them at heart as they have us at heart because we all are but the same. They say we are as human as they are so we all are but the same.

We know we all are but the same but we are not the same. They say we have the same skin but we know we definitely don’t have the same heart. They say they are us but we definitely know we are not them!

They say we are all the same because they serve in our interest but we know in their interest they serve else how else can some of them incite violence when they lose? They say we all are same but we know they are where they are because they have their stomachs in mind… not their hearts… while we vote for them with their hearts in mind… not their stomachs. They say we are all the same because they serve us first but we know we are not the same because they serve us last!

They say they can feel what we feel because they are us… and we are them. However, we know they can’t feel what we feel because we are not them… and they are not us. They can’t feel the falling standards of education because their wards are schooling in international schools (here in Ghana) and overseas. They can’t feel how hurting utility bills are because they are getting theirs highly subsidized or almost for free. We know we are not the same because we can never be the same!

They say we are the same but we know we are not. We, their masters, have become their servants and they, our servants, have become our masters. They give us the crumbs of the booty and chide us to celebrate in excitement while they make away with the fatty chunk. Their duties they misrepresent as achievements and their responsibilities they misinterpret to us as feats.

They ‘mis-compare’ us with other nations who are centuries behind development and tell us to be grateful but deep within our hearts, we know that in the abundance of nothing, little is much. Their little, sadly, is not enough. Though we live in abundance, their misappropriation and misuse of our resources have plunged us into a state of nothingness. We are not the same because we can never be the same.

They say we are same but we know our needs are their wants and their wants… our needs. We are only struggling living in penury while they are only struggling not to live in luxury. They say we are same because their riches is ours and our riches is theirs… but we all know their riches is our poverty! They say what we want to listen to and we only listen to what they want to say. Little wonder they are them… and we are us!

They say we are same and that we should even tighten our seat belts because of the harsh economic conditions but we know we are not same because they don’t even have seat belts! Regardless of the economic downturns, they will definitely find a way to make a gain while we the masses endure the pain. They say we are same because they think we are same.

They say we are same so we should do everything possible to put them in power… even if it may cost our lives. However, we know we are not same because we know who will enjoy the spoils when our lives are lost in the cause of doing everything possible to put them there. It is their families… not ours.

We know the only time they would remember we once existed will be when another election is due and they need feet to do the work of soldiers— foot soldiers. We know they would only remember us when during the next election, they ply our dusty roads they promised to fix after the last election.

We know we are not same because we can never be same because our problems are to their advantage and their power is to our disadvantage. They promise to help solve our headaches only for them to worsen them when in power.

They tell us to fight for their cause. They say we are same so we should slander anyone who’s not on their side. Little do we know that those who are same as us are those we have drawn machetes to butcher. Little do we know that those who are same as us are those who are not the same as them, thus, would do anything to survive.

While our political idols watch on as we grab each other by the neck like some gladiators, they will comfortably sit in their four-wheelers and sip their chilled beer. After all, they have nothing to lose regardless of the aftermath. Their travelling documents are ready in case chaos looms.

Little do we know that for us to live peacefully in this nation, we are supposed to fight for our own cause, not theirs. Poverty is our enemy… not the man from the other political party. Diseases are our opponents… not the people from the other tribe.

Election is not a battle of bullets but ballots. Don’t get incited to start what you can’t finish because you and the politician are never same. They say we are all same but…