Ghana’s election: Akufo-Addo wins for all
Ghana is making history in bold and progressive strides towards the Western-type democracy it has adopted. The 8th presidential and parliamentarian election in the 4th Republic of Ghana held on December 7, 2020 was by no means contentious and acrimonious. Campaign rhetoric, insults, and assaults precipitated law enforcement agencies to prepare and meet any potential challenges from supporters of the two major parties: the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). A 62,794 combined Taskforce from the Police, Fire, Prison, Immigration, Customs Services and the Bureau of National Investigation, backed by the Military (that acted as a standby contingent) were deployed in all the 275 constituencies’ and collation centers and the 40,000 voting sites to maintain law and order. Notwithstanding, at least five deaths and seventeen injuries were reported during and after the elections. Approximately, 48 hours after close of polls the Returning Officer of the Presidential elections, and Chairperson of the Electoral Commission Mrs. Jean Mensa declared at the Commission’s Office amidst heavy security the incumbent President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo the winner. He garnered 51.30% to cross the threshold figure of 50% + 1, while his major contender former President John Dramani Mahama obtained 47.35% of votes. A total of 13,119,460 (79%) people voted from the 17,029,971 million people captured during registration by the Electoral Commission. In Ghana’s Electoral laws, results of parliamentarian elections are announced at collation centers by Returning Officers of the Electoral Commission after signatures of representatives of participating political parties have been appended unto a tabular pink sheet. Processes and protocols are in place to challenge the unsatisfactory and/or unconvincing figures on a pink sheet. In all, both local and international observers, diplomats, and civil societies has given high marks to the Electoral Commission for fairness, transparency, and efficiency, albeit, some infractions here and there.
The results of the highly-competitive campaign and parliamentarians’ casualties therein would indubitably change the narratives of voting patterns in Ghana. With massive social and economic interventions that has charactized the Akufo-Addo government, Ghanaians told the president loud and clear that there is more to his stellar programs than the eye can meet.
While the New Patriotic Party lost about thirty parliamentary seats or so, it made inroads in some hitherto, traditional strongholds that had been the preserve of the National Democratic Congress. On the flip side, the political machination and apparatchik of the National Democratic Congress was at its best, slicing a sharp knife through their main opponent’s “territories” and thus reducing votes or even increasing their political fortunes at some strongholds of the NPP. The glass of the next parliament would be half full for the NDC and half empty for the NPP. The slim margin between the majority and minority in parliament would bring the ruling party up the creek without a paddle. The NPP majority in parliament would have no option but to negotiate with the minority to pass bills for continual and smooth sailing of government policies and project implementations. This is good for the country because not only will government sit up, but it would do due diligence on proposed bills before the parliament.
The Ghanaian electorate is more matured and sophisticated than before and it’s a matter of time if the “winner takes all” attitude that has bedeviled the country passes the test of time. While the New Democratic Congress waged spirited campaigns, strategists of the New Patriotic Party apparently went to sleep on the job and allowed the former to have a field day. Even though it is licking its wounds after their gallant fight and defeat, the NDC outsmarted the NPP in the process. The NPP’s gambit and hope of zooming through the elections with increased members in parliament anchored on unparalleled programs and projects initiated by government proved a mirage. The party leadership must not scratch its head searching for reasons for their comparatively abysmal performance. Acts and perception of opulence, arrogance, out of touch and reach with constituent grassroots, bossy and dictatorial chiefdoms and fiefdoms in primary elections almost brought the NPP on its knees. But discerning Ghanaians did the needful and rewarded the hardworking, achiever Akufo-Addo government for four more years.
As we pointed outin a previous editorial: “should he (President Akufo-Addo) win, he wins for all, but should he lose, he losses by himself only.” Ghana is the winner and for that we say “Ayekoo” to President-elect Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
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