Issues that would decide December 7

1. Not corruption. Ghanaians are tolerant of private and public corruption. Partly because it is so widespread. Partly because when most Ghanaians object to corruption, they do so out of envy and jealousy that they are not the beneficiaries of the corruption.

2. Not human rights violations. Ghanaians worry about human rights violations if it affects them personally, or affect relations or friends/acquaintances or those in same political party. We are too vindictive to worry about human rights violations on basis of principle only. We as in most of us.

3. Not economic hardship. Ghanaians like it tough, so they can brag about toughing it out and being magicians. Of course, they can always rely on private and public corruption to mitigate their poverty.

4. Not law and order nor the drug scourge. How many political leaders in the current political campaign have publicly addressed the law and order issue from a purely moral, health and corruption angle? None, and those who have done so have done so by the way. Wise of them - there is no vote in insisting on disciplining a society. After all, a street was named after Eric Amoateng after NOT before he was jailed in the USA. The street is called “tolerance for crime”.

5. Not policies of political parties. Ghanaians don’t believe politicians and they don’t care, they enjoy the concert and fanfare of politicking - any reason for a party, and then the free paraphernalia, booze, food and sharing of dubiously acquired moneys

6. The single likely most important determinant of December 7 outcome is perception of which political party Ghanaians think is likely to win, so freeloaders who form a majority of Ghanaians can get on board earlier or sneakily, which party is acting professionally, and which party appears united in crime or passion. That is why the opinion polls are so important.

Those Ghanaian opinion polls have created world uniqueness in elections opinion polling by not ascertaining why people want to vote for which party, i.e. the bases of voter intentions, nor the party they would be inclined to vote for, where there a run-off election. In the absence of comprehensive evaluation of public opinion, I am entitled to rule out 1 to 5 above as not important in voter intentions and rule 6 in as the most important consideration when Ghanaians vote on December 7.

I suggest that should the NPP lose on December 7, the following headline acts would not have played an insignificant part

6.1 Botchwey public refusal to head Obed's party, that put paid to any third party spoiler role. See

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=137265

General News of Wednesday, 9 January 2008. Obed shocked into speechlessness at denial. [They have, informally, been hoping for someone who would pick the best talents and blend them into a formidable team. Can you imagine a Ghanaian cabinet of Prof. Atta Mills, Nana Akufo Addo, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, Dr. Edward Mahama, Mr. Alan Kyerematen and Dr. Spio Garbrah working for the betterment of Ghana? Which Ghanaian can appeal to all these persons to work together? Dr. Botchwey, of course!"]

6.2 Issues surrounding the election of Nana Akufo Addo: the 17 NPP presidential aspirants, perception JAK was favouring one, credible statements by Arthur K that campaign money used by NPP Presidential candidates was stolen/drug money, humiliation of Allan Cash at NPP 22nd December 2007 congress, his resignation and reversal of resignation and going mute since, the neutralization of the public profiles of the 16 presidential candidates by their defeat as much as their removal from the public limelight follwing their dismissals (notwithstanding the few reinstated and the feeble association with the Nana campaign team by some despite Kasoa) and finally the handling of Aliu's presidential ambitions.

See some headlines below

- The Chronicle, Friday, 21 December 2007. Kufuor destroying NPP ? [The alleged interference of the President in the campaigning activities of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirants and particularly his open support for Alan Kyerematen is gathering heavy clouds amidst tension ahead of the party Congress on Saturday]

- General News of Thursday, 20 December 2007. 4 Aspirants Unhappy with Kufuor Over President’s Alleged Interference. http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=136381

[In spite of consistent denials by President Kufuor that he is backing one of the 17 presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the matter has surged to the fore just two days to the hour of decision]

6.3 Blunder over Bawumia. True, The True Democrat is NDC propaganda tabloid. Still, there has been many collaborations even if not as far-fetched as the The True Democrat’s piece at

http://sil.ghanaweb.com/r.php?thread=4200365

By the way, the handling of Aliu in 6,2 was going to be my 6.3 until the story of 6.3 broke

7. Ghanaians would be in a strong democratic state if they vote selectively for certain PNC and CPP parliamentary candidates with an eye on ensuring that Nkrumaist candidates hold the balance of power in a post December 7 parliament.

Nii Armah Kweifio-Okai

The author is a native of Ghana, resident in Australia, and member of the NkrumaistFrum