“Comfortable lead” comment to calm supporters – Nii Lantey

The Minister of Sports Nii Lante Vanderpuye has confessed the National Democratic Congress resorted to the catchphrase “we are in a comfortable lead” in the heat of the elections to “assuage the frustrations of its supporters.”

He admitted it was a tough moment to admit when the ruling party knew it was losing, but had to fashion out a strategy to keep the hopes of its frustrated supporters.

The NDC lost miserably in the 2016 elections as opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo polled 53% of total valid votes cast as against John Mahama’s 44%. The campaign spokesperson Joyce Bawa Mogtari and later deputy general secretary Koku Anyidoho hanged on to the statement: “We are in a comfortable lead” as their anxious supporters demand assurances from the party hierarchy while the NPP side was jubilating.

Speaking on Starr Chat with Bola Ray on Starr 103.5FM Wednesday, Vanderpuije who is also Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo said the statement was strategic.

“Let me say that it was strategic. I’ve come to see that it was strategic. We have what we call the boomerang effect; when the expectations of people are so high, if you are not careful and you don’t manage the expectation, and their frustration comes in, they could vent,” the outspoken lawmaker confessed.

He added: “’We’re in a comfortable lead’ is to “assuage the frustration of the supporters. [It was] to minimize their frustration because the anger that would have come with the straight [admittance] that we have lost, people would have committed suicide.

“Even with this, we have reports of people committing suicide. Yes, I’ve heard of about three across the country. People could just not stand it… Even me, I broke down.”

President John Mahama conceded defeat moments before the Electoral Commission declared the presidential results in favour of Nana Akufo-Addo.

The NDC has since formed a committee to investigate the woeful defeat.