Democracy of chances and luck: NDC will lose the 2020 elections counting on them

Since 2008, the political party NDC has not won elections in this country based on a policy. All their wins had come at the backdrop of sympathy, chances and luck. There is rarely, before 2020, NDC campaign on a clear and direct policy. For instance, in 2008, they campaigned heavily on the “Asomdwe hene” mantra which sought to paint the late Atta Mills more peaceful than his closest contender, Nana Addo. Nana Addo was single-handedly vilified by NDC and was made to look very awful in the eyes of many meaningful Ghanaians.

This attitude became a weapon for NDC for a very long time. Ghanaians voted them, not counting the cost, and perhaps thinking they should give late Mills a try. Even that victory didn’t come on a silver platter. There was a runoff and NDC could not win with any meaningful margin.

Come 2012 was even more dramatic. The death of Atta Mills brought luck to the NDC party in addition to what they termed as “youthful Mahama” against “old man” Akuffo Addo. Whilst Akuffo Addo was busily convincing Ghanaians with policies such the “free SHS”, NDC spent all their time kicking against anything that sounded good to them. They vehemently opposed the free SHS and termed it as “all lie be lie” and went ahead to tell Ghanaians that it is only meant to buy votes. By then we hadn’t heard the NDC campaign clearly on a policy from their manifesto.

The 2012 elections were not without challenges. After the elections despite a win by NDC, it turned out that the election was not credible as it appeared.

NPP took the matter to court to challenge the credibility of the elections since the numbers were not adding up. Following the court case at the Supreme Court, on the election petition, one cannot but to conclude that something untoward went on during the elections.

This was widely exposed by the pink sheet from which the primary elections results were recorded. Largely, the judges uphold the challenges but for the sake of the peace of the country, they ruled in favour of the NDC to avoid any consequences of unrest across the country. Before then NDC had campaigned vigorously on the death of Atta Mills urging Ghanaians to vote for them to honour his death whilst telling Ghanaians Mahama has risen for the youth.

Nana Akuffo Addo of the NPP was busily telling Ghanaians what he can do when given the opportunity. Unfortunately, Ghanaians again fell for the NDC and voted for them, not massively though, and if not for the parliamentary seat differences, NPP would have snatched the presidency at the court.

Down to 2016, Ghanaians realized that NDC lacks something significant and that is a lack of clear policy for developing our nation. Nana Akuffo Addo came strongly this time round with more resounding policies to help develop the country. The most notable among them are the Free SHS, One District One Factory, One Village One Dam, 1million dollars one constituency and others.

NDC again started working hard to kick against these policies and instead of telling Ghanaians what they can do or give in alternative; they resorted to attacking the Akuffo Addo’s policies. NDC ridiculed the chances of NPP and told Ghanaians that Nana Addo only wants a vote that is why he is on the path of saying things beyond, perhaps the strength of Ghana.

Unfortunately for NDC, their usual tactics of attacks on policies and vilification of personality did not go down well with Ghanaians, who felt NDC had been given too much time to rule in this country but had little to show off.

In 2016, Ghanaians showed them a gargantuan exit with a margin that is unprecedented in the 4th republic. John Dramani Mahama, who became president of Ghana as a result of the death of Atta Mills and as a sitting president in 2012 lost 807,203 votes with the highest in the Greater Accra region 179,703 votes. He also lost 126,355, 115,374 and 105, 243 in the Western, Ashanti and the Volta regions respectively.

2020 is here with us and again NDC has not learned any lessons yet. Mr. Mahama is still going round trying to run down the policies of Nana Addo as against what he can do. Upon few advice from certain quarters, the NDC had come at the backdrop of the policies of NPP to tell Ghanaians they have something to offer. Even with that NDC cannot craft their vision. They are only campaigning on the policies Nana Addo is running already and telling Ghanaians they will do it better or review it.

In 2016, they were vehemently against “EVERYTHING FREE” but it seems they are believers now. They are out there telling Ghanaians they will make everything free including primary health care, forgetting they couldn’t enroll their one time premium of the NHIS. NDC seems to be overrun by the policies of NPP knowing very well that Nana Addo had attained 57% of his promises made to Ghanaians and there is more confidence in his government by many Ghanaians especially after implementing the free SHS.

Ghanaians should bear in mind that Mr. Mahama is only seeking our votes to come and correct his mistakes. Akuffo Addo is already doing well by implementing many of his policies that he promised to Ghanaians in 2016. By inference and consistency, Ghanaians should avoid voting for someone coming to correct his mistakes but rather vote for the man who has a vision and is clearly executing his promises. No one has said Akuffo Addo had done it all, but it is clear that he has a clear vision and his entire policies outcome will result in a resounding economic transformation and development for Ghana going forward.

Shockingly, instead of NDC campaigning to bridge the gap they left in 2016 in almost all the regions, they are heavily relying on prophecies by some men of God to win the 2020 elections. Besides, they are hoping that the win by the Democratic Party in America will also result in a win for them in Ghana.

This is a clear indication of a party which always wants to win power by chances, luck, and sympathy and not by ability or vision. NDC lacks the needed credibility to lead the country again and with the 16years of democratic rule at their disposal, many Ghanaians who grew up in the late 80s will testify that the party had not done anything better for the country except for saying they had built schools, hospitals, roads and markets. Every government will do same even the most incompetent.

Giving Akuffo Addo another four years is a victory for Ghana and for our democracy. Reject NDC today and let us show them that a country is not run by chances or luck but vision in mission.