NPP'S strategy of Inducing Voter Apathy

The NPP is praying for 2004 December Election(s) not to take place altogether. At the same time, if God forbid, it takes place, then Voter Apathy, the kind never witnessed in the whole of the World's Voting History should befall Ghana. For NPP that would be a palatable alternative?Ghanaians, not happy with Mr. Kufuor's tenure, should simply stay home and not participate in the December 7 Voting!

To NPP, not adequately funding Electoral Commission is strategic. After all, should EC workers embark on strike action and the timetable for election is derailed, all the merrier and happy news to NPP! Already, displays of Voters' Register within EC's earlier announced period do not appear to be on track. NPP is not in the least perturbed. Do they suppose if there is no election in December 2004, President Kufuor would be 'endorsed by magical fiat or by popular acclamation' to rule Ghana for four more years? Very doubtful indeed!

NPP operatives actions evince a desperate desire for Ghanaians to become disenchanted with voting and to lose hope in the integrity of our Democratic Experience.

VOTER APATHY

By the posture and utterances of these NPP functionaries, it is no gainsaying to observe that they think should many Ghanaians stay at home and not Vote in the coming December Elections, the better the chance of victory there is for President Kufuor. So they are applying full throttle and pressure to make that happen.

Is the NDC taking note? It appears NPP is more interested in getting President Kufuor re-elected than their MPs, hence the spate of 'imposition' of NPP Parliamentary Candidates on Constituents, an act NDC regret for its 2000 debacle of a campaign!

Die hard NPP and NDC folks will troop to the polls come rain or shine, thunder or lightening, Akonedi or Antoa Nyamaa, Tigare or Trokosi Priests. These are the people who believe President Kufuor or Professor Mills WILL in December 2004.

Supporters of other minority 'smaller' parties would have less incentive to face Tigare or Akonedi, for example, if they abstain from voting, probably, with the exception of what Dr Baffour Agyeman Duah refers to as the "influence of money" on the decision of 'people' to vote, according to some recent CDD survey. It also leads to validation of the phenomenon of the new coinage "Moneycracy" (attributed to Kwabena Tawia of SIL fame?) replacing Democracy, in Oman Ghana, where money, not morality, principles and ideals, is the sole determinant of success at the polls!

How is NPP cranking up its propaganda in this 'dirty little war' of theirs aimed at convincing people not to participate in Election 2004? By spreading NPP's "GLAD TIDINGS" that President Kufuor HAS ALREADY WON RE-ELECTION AND SO ALL OTHER CANDIDATES SHOULD STOP WASTING THEIR OWN TIME.

By what means is this message or variation thereof is being disseminated by the NPP?

a) Through Ghana FM Radio discussions, where NPP plants 'casually opine' that message,

b) NPP Professors such as Yankan Bediako of Political Science Department of University of Ghana., who set Ghana's Democracy back with the rhetoric that "Kufuor (NPP)has already won December Election so Prof. Mills (NDC)should go to sleep". This has not only done great damage to Bediako's reputation but also, has dented the otherwise stellar image of University of Ghana. Basing his ludicrous assertion on an IEA Survey of 2003, Bediako says Ghanaians won't change; Ashanti's won't change but significant number of Ewes (are they not part of Ghanaians who won't change?) would change and vote for Kufuor so NDC should stretch themselves on mats and sleep soundly, not to campaign!!

c) NPP Columnists and pseudo NPP Cyber-space Commentators who have specialized in the refrain" I have just come back from Ghana and Kufuor has already won. Why are you people still supporting Prof Mills?"

d) NPP groups which are now proposing "A skirt and Blouse" mantra, meaning Voting for Kufuor in the Presidential Election and for the Parliamentary, abandoning the NPP candidate not enamoured by Kufuor

e) NPP's 131-page booklet ridiculously titled "So far, So good", apparently going for NPP's 2004 manifesto!

f) Co-opting politicians from other parties notably Fred Worsemao Blay, CPP MP 1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Paa Kwesi Nduom, Rashid Bawah and those 3 PNC MP's to the view that their respective mother parties cannot win and therefore backing Kufuor to the hilt!

THE TARGET

Who is the target of this NPP Stealth Campaign? THE MASSES! THE MASSES! THE MASSES

Ghana's political landscape, as the country heads to December 2004, is made up of Old Danquah-Busia folks coalescing into NPP, the very formidable NDC, fragmentation of Nkrumahists under assortment of political banners such as PNC, GCPP,CPP itself, plus other parties like Reform, DPP, EGLE etc! Of Course, a silent apolitical critical group also co-exist with the noisy Elephants, Umbrellas, Red Hens and the like.

It is for the heart and soul of these Nkrumahist Fragments and those described as 'silent apolitical' who are in the crossfire of NPP Reverse Psychology Voter Apathy. Simply defined:

"Kufuor's Presidency has so far failed, but he has been in power for ONLY 4 years as opposed to "20 years" NDC was in power (never mind that NDC has been in existence for only 8 before losing in 2000); Mills won't win; Ya-Naa's plus 40 others' UNSOLVED MURDERS DON'T COUNT; Kwabena Agyepong's father plus 3 others' SOLVED MURDERS COUNT; People are hungry but they breath air of Kufuor's Freedom; HIPC is upon both Ghana as a nation and Ghanaians as a people; Corruption is from Adam's time; the Constitution allows Kufuor to run for re-election, so re-elect him!"

Only the fickle minded, simpleton and fair weather element in Ghanaian Society would buy NPP's shenanigan. December 2004 will be heavily patronized and Prof. Mills will be victorious!