By Dela Ahiawor
Saying some Ghanaians doubted former President, John Mahama‘s re-election ahead of the December 2024 polls is an understatement.
Perish the thought! John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), returning to power strikes many sympathizers of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) as repugnant. This is not surprising- as the NPP and the NDC remain arch -political rivals and the two dominant parties in Ghana since the return to democratic rule in 1992.
However, what boggles the mind is when some rabid NPP sympathizers put their lives on the line in the name of politics; and also playing God- that John Mahama would never become president again in their lifetime.
Ahead of the elections, a clergyman, Apostle, Kwabena Owusu Adjei said of John Mahama: “If he wins this election…. I Apostle, Kwabena Owusu Adjei..I’m offering my body to be lynched by the NDC foot soldiers and grassroot supporters. I’m so confident in my God that there’s no turning back.” What a bizarre thing to say by a clergyman! But that’s the reality that shows the growing political intolerance between the NDC and the NPP.
In other instances, NPP sympathizers swore to it that, they will burn themselves alive, put down roots in other countries forever, wanted to be stoned alive- to name just a few. Interestingly enough, except being trolled on social media, no one was able to carry through those bizarre thoughts- days after the polls. Hope such vile unspeakable pronouncements do not reoccur in future elections.
Nana Ohene Ntow, a former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), currently, Senior Advisor of the Movement for Change made unflattering revelations about the NPP on TV3 on Saturday, December 14, 2024. According to Ohene Ntow: “With the level of corruption, the arrogance of power, mismanagement, economic difficulties, and the destruction of our natural resources, if the NPP had won this election, Ghana was finished.” Indeed, the generality of Ghanaian’s hold the same view.
No wonder, they succeeded in giving the NPP and their rabid sympathizers a rude awakening when they voted decisively to give the NDC’s John Mahama, who’s the main opposition leader a second chance at the polls. John Mahama polled 56.55% of the total votes in the presidential elections against the NPP’s Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia who polled 41.61%. In addition, the NDC secured a supermajority (2/3rds of the seats ) in Parliament, which is unpresidented in Ghana’s 32- year-old democracy, since 1992.
Definitely, this was a massive historic win for Mahama as voters decided to punish the ruling New Patriotic Party over its poor management of the economy.
In the wake of the elections, founding member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Nyaho Nyaho-Tamakloe also had this to say: “The NPP needs to understand that the recent election results were a people’s revolution, a clear rejection of the status quo. If we don’t rebuild now, we risk losing our relevance.” According to other experts, the elections was actually a rejection of outgoing President, Nana Akufo-Addo’s bad government for the past eight years.
For the NDC, it’s a dramatic resurgence after being in opposition for eight years (2017 – 2024). And a vote of confidence in John Mahama to help rescue Ghana from economic decline. With the elections over, revelations indicate that Ghanaians by significant margins now view the NDC as a better alternative to the NPP. Incoming President, John Mahama now has the opportunity to deliver on his campaign promise to reset and restore Ghana towards a better future.
As Mahama prepares to take office as Ghana’s new president on January 7, 2025- he’s also bracing to implement the NDC’s anti- corruption initiative: Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL). This is targeted at suspected cases of corruption under outgoing President, Nana Akufo Ado’s regime. Key among Mahama’s economic policy is implementing a 24-hour economy aimed at boosting economic activity and job creation. He intends to expand and improve the NPP’s free education policy. Furthermore, he is expected to take hard decisions to curb illegal mining (galamsey). And also address: increasing youth unemployment, economic stability, social equity and infrastructure development.
On the other hand, the defeated New Patriotic Party has called for unity, rebuilding and strategic planning towards the next elections four years from now.
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