Politics of 2026-10-17
‘Brutal strength cannot win elections’ – Asiedu Nketia touts NDC’s shift from vigilantism
National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has touted what he describes as the party’s shift from vigilantism and machoism to a more strategic approach to politics, insisting that brute force cannot win elections.
Addressing some party members, Asiedu Nketia said the NDC had moved away from relying on physical strength and intimidation, arguing that political success depends more on strategy and ideas.
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“Luckily, NDC has departed from vigilantism and machoism and so on. Our vigilantism has moved from our hands to our minds,” he said.
He added that the party’s approach to politics had evolved, stressing that violence and physical aggression were no longer effective means of securing electoral victory.
“It is no longer the context for brutal strength and other things because brutal strength cannot win elections,” he stated.
Reflecting on the 2024 general elections, Asiedu Nketia said the NDC had been concerned that the then governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) would use its control of the national security apparatus to support vigilante groups.
“When we are going into 2024, we are scared that the government in power was controlling the national security and they consciously were encouraging the training of their vigilantes and so on,” he said.
However, he argued that the outcome of the election demonstrated that electoral victory could be achieved through democratic means rather than force.
“But we have demonstrated to everybody that the pen is mightier than the sword,” he added.
Asiedu Nketia questioned why the NPP, despite having access to state security resources and alleged vigilante groups, failed to challenge the 2024 election results successfully.
“How come with all their vigilantes and state security apparatus at their disposal, they could not contest the results of the 2024 election?” he asked.
He further claimed that the NPP had declared the election results before the Electoral Commission officially announced them.
His comments come as the NDC continues to reflect on its electoral victory in the 2024 general elections, in which the party's presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, defeated the NPP's candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
NA/AM
