Mahama should apologize to Ghanaians for using unattractive campaign message - Analyst

Political commentator and former executive of the Tema East constituency of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Stephen Ashitey Adjei, has demanded an unqualified apology from former President John Dramani Mahama for what he says is Mr. Mahama’s adoption of an unattractive campaign message.

In an interview with journalists in Tema on Tuesday, Mr. Ashitey Adjei, who is popularly called Moshake, said Mahama’s core campaign message, the 24-hour economy, has proven disastrous for the NDC and gifted away an election that the NDC should have easily won.

“Now whenever you mention the 24-hour economy, it invokes laughter from our opponents before they ask comically, What does that mean?"

“This has washed away the winsomeness of the NDC in this election, and now we are in danger of losing the elections again because the campaign message simply lacks gravitas and appeal,” Moshake said.

In addition to demanding Mahama apologize for misleading the NDC to a third consecutive loss, Moshake also advised the former President to quit politics.

“It is obvious to anyone who knew Mr. Mahama from his early days in politics that he has grown old and lost the charismatic appeal that he once commanded. I urge him to do the honourable thing and bow out of politics now that there is still some charisma left,” he added.

This is just the latest of many demands of accountability that Moshake has made of Mahama, who has led the NDC to its most devastating defeats in the history of the party.

According to the former constituency executive, the NDC being relegated to opposition after it was voted out of power in 2016 is all the fault of John Mahama, who had used his presidency from 2012 to 2016 to make the NDC unpopular.

As if that was not enough, Mr. Mahama has also refused to step away from the leadership of the party so that other presidential materials will take up the helm of leadership.

“Since 2012, Mr. John Mahama has virtually treated the leadership of the NDC like personal property, never giving way for others to take over and, at the same time, also failing to lead us into power.

This behaviour is like the “Konongo Kaya” complex, in which the head-porter is neither able to carry the load nor is he willing to allow others to carry the same load. This is what has brought the NDC where it is, and John Mahama must apologize for it,” Moshake said.