The foreign legion came; but Ghanaians passed the final verdict

By Justice Abeeku Newton-Offei

The 2016 electioneering campaign was characterized by lots of drama. This was epitomized by a legion of Nigerian film actors who were important into the country to engage in repugnant propaganda stunts. NDC was the main culprit in this shameful behavior because the government has so mismanaged the economy and it was obvious they had been rejected by the good people of Ghana.

The insipid propagandists of erstwhile NDC government persistently shouted from the roof-tops that they have transformed Ghana into the status of Dubai by way of physical infrastructure with actualization of numerous Bharj Khalilahs, with personnel of our police service going on patrol duties in helicopters and Ferraris.

But these astounding developments which they claimed to have built, Ghanaians never were enthused. This therefore angered the outgoing president John Mahama to brand Ghanaians ungrateful characters, whose suffer from short memory and therefore not being appreciative of his self-acclaim magic performance.

Foreign legion

So realizing that Ghanaians have made up their minds to reject them at the polls, John Mahama then decided to seek refuge in comic acumen of Nigerian actors whose careers are on a serious downward spiral; these Nigerian actors were imported into Ghana. They were airlifted in many trips of hired private jets, accommodated in posh hotels, fed on exquisite meals and choicest wines, with the task of throwing rocks into the eyes of Ghanaian taxpayers.

They were obviously paid huge sums of cash for their services; and the only task given them was to take casual tours around some edifices and peddled total falsehood to unsuspecting public.

For example, the renovated Ridge Hospital was portrayed as a 5-star hotel by Osofia. And I ask; the project was undertaken with taxes of Ghanaians and does it have to take a Nigerian to come and throw rocks into our eyes for the reward of huge sums of cash?

Now, Mr. ex-president John Mahama, why do you think it had to take others to convince your own people of how wonderful your tenure of office had been? Again, if your own do not believe in you, who will? Or you thought it had to take the propaganda-stunts of these Nigerian gold-diggers to make your own people conscious of their Dubai-like socioeconomic well-being under your tenure? Now, Mr. ex-president, if your own do not believe in you, who will?

One therefore wonders why some of our Nigerian brothers Momodu Dele, Osofia etc. were under the illusion that they could influence the thought-processes of Ghanaians, vis-a-vis decision-making in just-ended 7th December, 2016 general elections, when we had independence 6 clear years earlier, and therefore are far matured and well-advanced, than them, in democratic experience.

Obviously, these Nigerians have succeeded in pulling their characteristic 419 swindle on John Mahama, ran away with millions of dollars which could have been scooped from our national kitty. Indeed, while Osofia is walking majestically to the bank with a broad smile, NDC ‘FOOLED-soldiers’ are licking their wounds and confronted with prospects of eternal life in opposition.

Gerrymandering

With just a month to 2012 elections, the EC, under tacit influence of ndc, spread the map of Ghana on a chopping-board, and with a huge meat cleaver, created 45 new constituencies, which were deliberately carved in a way that created Swiss-cheese-holes of safe enclaves for the ndc, with some of these constituencies having less than 10,000 registered voters.

That wicked act of gerrymandering greatly worked to the advantage of ndc; and that explained why eventhough ndc had majority in parliament, the total votes of those parliamentarians was nearly 500,000 less than that garnered by NPP minority.

With that kind of scheme put in-place by ndc,i had absolutely no inclination that there was ever going to be a time when NPP,emerging from opposition, and without the support of other minority parties in the form of alliance, could ever defeat incumbent ndc in a first round of voting with a massive 1.2million votes difference, and 171 outright parliamentary majority.

This indeed tells me, and for that matter, all players of contemporary Ghanaian politics,that,the good people of this country have become so conscious of deceptive nation-wreckers masquerading as politicians, who steal their way into corridors of power, with sole purpose of looting state coffers to enrich themselves, families and close collaborators.

The purpose of ndc naked gerrymandering in creating those 45 new constituencies at the eleventh-hour of election-2012 has now been totally shattered; and this should serve as a guiding-principle to all successive governments.

Indeed, what used to be the 8-year convention for every government/leader has now been made complete nonsense of in election-2016, and we must all learn from it and never take Ghanaians for a ride.

Sycophantic chiefs

Institution of chieftaincy, in our Ghanaians cultural setting, is a highly revered institution. It is actually recognized by law and its powers are engraved in our fourth republican constitution. Chiefs are members of Ghanaian society and therefore have every right to make their voice heard on issues bordering on the welfare of ordinary people. This therefore makes it difficult to reconcile the aspect of our constitution which bares chiefs from engaging in partisan politics.

It has been argued that chiefs have subjects under them who are of different political persuasions and therefore engaging in open partisan politics will compromise their authority over his/her people. But we tend to forget that, the president who presides over the entire nation is elected on a ticket of a political party; so for me, the aspect of our constitution barring chiefs from partisan politics is a bit problematic.

This notwithstanding, this is what the law says and we are therefore bound by it. So for some of our chiefs, who incidentally, are lawyers and therefore very much aware of the fact that they are not to be engaging in partisan politicking, to brazenly going against the law, is to say that least, extremely repugnant.

Our democracy is based on universal adult suffrage where everyone has only one vote, which is also cast in a secret ballot so why would a chief be under the illusion that his V8-induced sycophantically sycophantic sycophancy can sway a disgruntled people?

Arrogance of power

I was deeply involved in the campaign to make Nana Addo's electoral success a reality, and i can vouch that qualities that made him the toast of Ghanaians are: DECENCY and HUMILITY, not only in his public utterances, but deeply engrained in his personality.

This is why Nana Addo constantly addressed ex-president John Mahama as 'Y'ewura Mahama, Oman Panyin Mahama" or "President Mahama”, while they [ndc assigns], referred to him as 'Opana'.

Also, I did extensive grassroots mobilization of support for Nana Addo, and it is evident that reckless pronouncements motivated by arrogance of power is what resulted in ndc massive defeat.

Arrogance of power and disrespectful diatribe are therefore the least Ghanaians expect from operatives of the incoming Nana Addo administration.

We must be extremely measured and highly civil with our public utterances, as a result. The good people of this nation have entrusted their future in our hands for the next four years, and as to whether we shall have our mandate renewed, thereafter, shall be dependent on how we perform, and to large extent, the respect and humility we exhibit, as agents of government/party, in our respective areas of responsibility Ghanaians kicked out NDC in a historic electoral tsunami ever witnessed anywhere on this planet for their total disregard to the plight of ordinary Ghanaians, reckless display of arrogance, wicked dissipation of national resources and repugnant display of opulence. And should we fail to be guided by what has befallen ndc and repeat the same mistakes, then, we must be prepared to be administered the same bitter medicine at the polls, in the next elections.

But in all, I have great faith in the leadership qualities of the man Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. He is a man of integrity and therefore will have the testicular fortitude to keep in-check any of his appointees who might be overwhelmed by the power of office and therefore might stray into unapproved waters.

Writer's e-mail: justnoff@yahoo.com