Editorial: $1M a day on a Presidential Primary, Mills?

The image carved by the National Democratic Congress of their 2008 Presidential Candidate, John Atta-Mills, was one which depicted him as a humble man, an “Asomdwehene”, and one who, if elected, would cut out profligate expenditure and corruption.

Fast-forward to 2011, and President Mills is alleged by members of his own party to have amassed a campaign war chest to the tune of $60 million for a 2½ month campaign period, just to win the NDC’s July 8 congress.

This works out at nearly $1 million a day for the 62-day campaign to be re-elected as his party’s leader for the 2012 presidential race. As it is now, it is merely an allegation to which the man alleging says he has credible evidence.

The question is this: Why would President Mills spend such huge amount of cash for an internal contest in Ghana? Why would he spend tens of millions of dollars in a campaign that the smart money appears to be on him emerging victorious?

But, there are clear clues. Just to pick up his nomination forms to contest the July 8 congress, humble Atta-Mills hired at least 50 (some say 60) Yutong and Metro Mass buses to convey his supporters, in an apparent response to the crowds Nana Konadu, his only challenger then, pulled at her campaign launch.

Humble Atta-Mills happily blocked and caused the biggest avoidable traffic jam in the recent history of the Ring Road in Accra and also brought Government work to a standstill as he conveyed his Ministers on his gravy train to adulate him – sing the praises of a humble leader.

According to charges from the Rawlings camp within the NDC, the “choleric” declarations by the regional executives, who purportedly endorsed the candidature of Mills as Nana Konadu prepared to contest him, took place because of monetary inducements.

The other question is this: the New Statesman would like to know how much more cash is President Mills willing to spend come the 2012 elections? If President Mills is prepared to spend $60 million for a 2½ month campaign, then it can be stretched to imply that he will have no fear spending over $200m in a desperate bid to win the 2012 elections.

Ghanaians would most certainly like to know where all this money is coming from. In 2007 The Statesman called on the Electoral Commission to introduce rules and regulations to guide spending in internal party leadership contests. We believe it is time for that debate to return. Currently there are no national rules on how campaign funds may be raised and how much may be spent and to whom accounts may be made. It is difficult, therefore, to trace the source of such campaign funds.

Already, the Centre for Policy Analysis has warned that Ghana’s total public debt as at September, 2009 was US$8,551.7 million but surged to US$11,247.7 million in September, 2010, representing a 32.1 per cent leap within the twelve month period. Our own checks show that this figure could surge further to $15 billion by the end of 2011.

The spiralling debt, rising cost of living and doing business, worsening economic situation of Ghanaians are apparently of no concern to caring President Mills. He has lots of money to spend, and in his opinion, he can use this power to buy off Ghanaians in 2012.

What happened in the parliamentary by-elections, under the watch of the Asomdwehene, in Akwatia, Atiwa and Chereponi is a testament to the sheer amount of force President Mills plans to wield on his political opponents in his attempt to win a re-election.

President Mills and the NDC have clearly shown that they want to win elections, be it the NDC congress or the 2012 general election, with intimidation, money and certainly through any means available to him.

And there is ample evidence to support this.

The New Patriotic Party together with all the other opposition political parties in the country must take notice of this and be on their guard. The NDC and President Mills do not appear to be willing to hand power to any of them on a silver platter, as opposed to what the NPP did in 2008.

The decision by the leadership of the NPP to form a 20-man canvassing team in all 21,000 odd polling stations is a laudable idea. This team includes the 5 polling station executives and 15 others to be selected by the Presidential Candidate and the parliamentary candidate of the constituency in question.

It is imperative that the additional 15 members must be brought in to complement the shortcomings of the 5 polling station executives, whatever those may be. The qualities possessed by the 15, be it in an intellectual, advisory, or even in a “macho” capacity, must be brought to bear on the canvassing team.

The opposition parties must mobilise people within the community to protect the ballot, because what happens on polling day effectively seals the fate of an election. Even if voters may not be fooled by last-minute profligate spending by the ruling party the incumbent may have enough money to influence those who may be willing to subvert the democratic will of the people. To this we pray against.