Election 2020: No last minute campaign can influence us – Ghanaians speak

According to the Electoral Commission of Ghana, all is set for Monday’s presidential and parliamentary elections at all polling stations across the country.

GhanaWeb took a trip to the heart of the capital, Accra, to experience the mood of citizens with just 3 days to the general elections.

Our reporter, Paulina Dedaa Opoku, who interacted with citizens, observed that the atmosphere was fully charged with voters expressing their eagerness to exercise their franchise come Monday.

A majority of electorates who GhanaWeb caught-up with said they were certain on which presidential candidate to vote for adding that they cannot be influenced by any “last-minute” campaign promise or freebies be it money or any product meant to buy their vote.

A middle aged-man, Mr Dei who was enthused about partaking in the 2020 elections mentioned that: “No last-minute message can influence my decision, if that happens then probably I don’t know what I am about because for 4 years if it takes only two hours or an hour to influence my decision, then you don’t know what you are doing, I have already settled on the presidential candidate to vote for and nothing can stop me.”

A young graduate by name Hammond also had this to say: “It is decision time on Monday and as a citizen of this great nation, I am already certain on which party to vote for considering and analyzing their campaign messages to Ghanaians.”

Various political parties are still on the streets campaigning massively to persuade electorates into voting for them. GhanaWeb’s team witnessed a good number of branded political party vehicles mostly for parliamentary candidates parading the streets with loud campaign music.

But, can this last-minute campaign truly sway voters?

A coconut seller at Circle revealed that he will gladly accept freebies from any opposition party but still vote against them as he had already settled on his preferred candidate.

“I am prepared and ready to vote, I am voting for Nana Addo, 4 more for Nana, number one on the ballot paper. If any other party gives me money, I will take it, but I won't change my mind, I will vote for Nana,” said Fredrick, a coconut seller at Circle.

Notwithstanding, a young man by name Perry advised citizens to stand their grounds by voting against any party who tries to buy their vote.

“If you are a good citizen, you don’t think about the money to vote for someone. You have to vote for the person whom during the campaign made sense with their manifesto... we have their track records,” he said.