2024 Elections: Don’t vote ‘skirt and blouse’ – Mahama

Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), former President John Dramani Mahama, has entreated the electorate to avoid voting ‘skirt and blouse’ in the upcoming 2024 General Election.

The NDC flagbearer said he would need a majority in Parliament to execute an agenda of reviving the economy and reversing the economic mess the current government has plunged Ghana into.

Also known as split-ticket voting, skirt and blouse is where a voter votes for a presidential candidate of a particular party and a parliamentary candidate of a different party.

Addressing a mini rally at Binduri in the Upper East Region, as part of his campaign tour of the region on Sunday, former President Mahama said skirt and blouse voting would not be in the interest of the NDC.

“Avoid any sort of skirt and blouse on December 7. We need a majority in Parliament to be able to do what you want us to do for you. No skirt and blouse.

“A skirt and blouse vote will be like sending me into the boxing ring and tying my hands behind me. So when you vote for JM on December 7 as President, vote for Issifu Mahmoud as MP for Binduri (and by extension our parliamentary candidates),” he said to the charged crowd.

According to the former President, the NDC has capable men and women to turn the economy around and create opportunities for all Ghanaians, not just a few.

He said the NDC is known for developing the human resource base of the country; a reason his government initiated the Community Day Senior High School, and the only secondary school in Binduri in particular, to educate the future generation.

The NDC flagbearer said the propaganda being spread that he would cancel the free senior high school policy if elected was malicious and intended to score cheap political points.

He said the NDC government has always created equal opportunities for Ghanaians and would not depart from that tradition if given the opportunity to govern again.

The former President said the recruitment of personnel into the security services would be regionalized to ensure fair enlistment into the services.

He said his next government would recruit 20,000 persons into the security services to match the UN police-to-citizen ratio, to beef up security for the roll-out of the 24-hour economy.

His campaign for day two took him to Binduri, Zebilla, Nabdam, and Bolgatanga East, where he interacted with market folks, students, traditional and religious leaders, and other interest groups.