It’s a season many politicians prepare for and look forward to and sometimes the circumstances of the times determine how much effort they put in; and this year, the circumstances seem right for a possible attempt to win at all cost.
For an NDC party that has been in opposition for 8 years and hungry to capture power, it is no time to joke and the message seems clear and concise. The leader of the party and former President John Mahama wants Ghanaians to buy into his 24-hour economy idea. Mr. Mahama is said to have decided to settle on his running mate for the 2020 polls, former Education Minister, Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman. The party has a meeting this week to settle the dust on this.
The governing NPP has yet to announce when it would outdoor its running mate. But there have been various suggestions coming in for the flagbearer who is currently the country’s Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to consider picking someone from the Ashanti region, the ‘bread basket’ of the party and a need to balance the ticket- A Northern-Southern ticket.
Names that have come up for him to pick from include:
- The MP for Bosomtwe and Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum
- Energy Minister, Dr.Matthew Opoku Prempeh
- A female running mate, the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, to bring gender balance to the ticket
- Kwabena Adyei-Agyapong among others.
Determinants per the parties and analysts
Political analyst and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Democratic Governance Dr. Kwesi Jonah thinks that competence is not everything. He says that a candidate may consider all other factors, including skill sets that may balance his or hers before deciding but in the Ghanaian context, he believes Political expediency plays a major role.
Dr. Kwesi Jonah’s views seem accurate to Dr. Etse Sinkanku, a communications lecturer at the University for Media, Arts and Communication (UNIMAC-GIJ). He thinks that Ghana’s political history causes leaders to make certain choices based on two main pillars. The first pillar he says is on getting votes and the other on the focus of governance- how that party wants to govern.
But the parties know best. For an NDC party that seems to appeal to the masses, the qualities the party looks for do not seem farfetched. An Elder of the NDC who happens to be the first General Secretary Huudu Yahya says that the party prioritizes the grassroots and the ordinary people; the working class.
The NDC is believing that its 24-hour economy idea will convince Ghanaians to give John Mahama a second chance at the presidency. But the NPP would not give up that easily; the party wants to ‘break the eight’. This party that has been accused of also being an Akan party despite the fact that its Danquah-Busia-Dombo tradition has gone its farthest yet to elect and rally support behind a northern candidate to prove critics wrong. It also wants to give a message that it has a record to defend. The party believes that it has dealt with the economic issues well and deserves another shot in government.
A former Speaker of Parliament and a member of the Council of Elders of the party, Prof Mike Ocquaye says that the NPP looks for a Vice Presidential candidate whose personality will not clash with the President and someone who is not looking for the President’s job. A former Chairman of the NPP, Freddie Blay adds that the person must also be loved by the party.
For Senior Research fellow at the Institute for Democratic Governance and Political analyst, Dr. Kwesi Jonah, the trend may not be so different from what we have seen over the years. He thinks that Ghana combines all factors before candidates are chosen.
Factors like competence, tribal and regional balance have been a topic for many. Whilst opinions may be divided, there does not seem to be a doubt that Ghana combines political expediency, regional balance, tribal balance, the marketability of the person, to winning a lot of votes when choosing a vice presidential candidate to partner a flagbearer.
This is seen in how former President John Kufour, a man from the Ashanti Region chose Aliu Mahama from the North. It is also evident in the choice of the late Professor John Evans Atta Mills who was well vested in taxation law and a lawyer from the Central Region to partner a then reformed military leader, Jerry John Rawlings from the Volta Region.
Although Dr. Jonah does not believe that competence is everything, especially in this part of the world, he thinks that Ghana can still get a competent person whilst trying to tick the boxes of the other areas needed.
Aside from what these experts talk about, others also seem to have the notion that Ghanaians vote on religious lines as well. A former Chairman of the National Peace Council and UN appointee to the Secretary-General’s Peacebuilding Fund Advisory Group Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel Asante says that people rather vote for parties than on religious basis.
A conversation with a section of Ghanaians seems to have confirmed this as well. But, at the end of the day, it appears that Ghanaians are looking forward to individual leaders and a government that would change their fortunes and help the country perform better.
My name is Beatrice Adu. I will catch up with you again. Connect on Facebook via Beatrice Adu, on X @Beatrice4Adu, linked in @Beatrice Adu