The National Democratic Congress (NDC) is apparently experiencing internal unease as its strategy to undermine Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s credibility appears to be backfiring.
In an open letter published by ghanaguardian.com, a concerned NDC sympathiser, James Essilfie Conduah, expressed salient concerns and called for a change in the party’s campaign approach, highlighting the ineffectiveness of branding Dr. Bawumia as a liar.
Conduah, who has actively followed Ghanaian elections since 1996, voiced his disappointment with the main opposition party’s current campaign strategy.
“Having actively followed seven general elections, from the 1996 election, which the late President Rawlings won, I must admit, rather reluctantly and with disappointment, that the 2024 elections campaign of our party is the least effective in terms of messaging,” he wrote.
Despite the NDC’s efforts to label Dr. Bawumia as untruthful, the Vice President’s popularity continues to rise.
Conduah noted, “It was obvious to us over the last couple of years that the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, would be the likely flagbearer for the NPP in the 2024 Presidential elections. We, therefore, set out with a strategy to destroy his credibility by labelling him a liar at every opportunity.”
Initially, Conduah believed this strategy was effective. However, he has since reconsidered its wisdom.
“This strategy appears to be backfiring because, as Dr. Bawumia goes around the country, he appears to be more popular than ever. How come a man we have spent all our time with our communicators, labeling and branding a liar, is still popular with the people? The answer, obviously, is simple. When you label somebody a liar, you have to be able to prove, with evidence, the lies he has told.”
Conduah acknowledged that Dr. Bawumia has delivered on many promises that the NDC dismissed as unattainable.
Contrary to the NDC’s assertions, Dr. Bawumia, the flagbearer for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming 2024 Presidential elections, has been showcasing his achievements and vision during his campaign trail, which, according to Conduah, is resonating with many Ghanaians.
“While we continue to tag him a liar, hoping it will stain his image, Bawumia is going around selling his message about what he has done as Vice President to Ghanaians. He is pointing out his achievements and explaining his vision. To be honest, I have watched videos of Dr. Bawumia on the campaign trail, and his message is compelling. And as a sympathiser of the NDC, this worries me,” Conduah stated in the open letter.
Information gathered from the NDC suggests that the large crowds welcoming Dr. Bawumia during his tours in certain Northern areas are causing significant worry among opposition party leaders. In his ongoing campaign tour, Dr. Bawumia’s entourage made stops at Yendi, Nanton, and Karaga, receiving a massive outpouring of love from party supporters and sympathisers.
In a recent media commentary, the Member of Parliament for Tolon Constituency, Habib Iddrisu, noted that the NDC has been stricken with fear by the movement of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia. “… they are frightened by the movement of our flagbearer; he is a serious campaigner, the message. So they get the feedback from their constituencies,” Iddrisu said on State of Affairs on GHOne TV with Lantam Papanko.
James Essilfie Conduah, in his open letter, also highlighted various government initiatives spearheaded by Dr. Bawumia that have gained significant traction among voters. These initiatives include Agenda 111, One Constituency One Ambulance, Zongo Development Fund, Ghanacard, Digital Address System, Mobile Money Interoperability, Paperless Ports, and the Gold for Oil policy, among others.
“How can a voter ignore someone who has initiated or championed so many good policies such as Agenda 111, One Constituency One Ambulance, Zongo Development Fund, Ghanacard, the ability to travel to Ghana with your Ghanacard, Digital Address System, Mobile Money Interoperability, Paperless Ports, Gold for Oil, buying ECG credit on the mobile phone, renewing NHIS membership on your mobile phone, solving the problem of ghost workers, amongst others?”
Conduah admitted to the failure and lack of credibility in the NDC’s attempt to label Dr. Bawumia a liar, noting that the evidence points to the contrary, making the strategy impractical.
He called on the party’s campaign leadership to reassess its tactics and focus on policies to regain voter confidence and present a compelling alternative to the ruling NPP.
Read Conduah’s open letter below:
Let’s change our campaign strategy on Dr Bawumia – an open letter by a concerned NDC sympathiser
Dear Comrades,
As a concerned sympathiser of the great National Democratic Congress, I write this open letter to the leadership of my party, with reservations and disappointment; and also with unusual frankness from a party fanatic.
Having actively followed seven general elections, from the 1996 election which the late President Rawlings won, I must admit, rather reluctantly and with disappointment, that the 2024 elections campaign of our party, is the least effective, in terms of messaging
It was obvious to us over the last couple of years that the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will be the likely flagbearer for the NPP, in the 2024 Presidential elections. We therefore set out with a strategy to destroy his credibility by labeling him a liar at every opportunity.
Initially I thought this was a very good strategy and it appeared to be working for some time. However, as the campaign has started in earnest, I am having second thoughts about the wisdom of this strategy. This strategy appears to be backfiring because as Dr. Bawumia goes around the country he appears to be more popular than ever.
How come a man we have spent all our time, with our communicators, to label and brand a liar, still popular with the people? The answer, obviously is simple. When you label somebody a liar, you have to be able to prove, with evidence the lies he has told. But over the years, we have branded him a liar, yet, Bawumia continues to point to many things he said he would do, which we said he could not do, which, he has been able to do. This is an honest admission, which any strategist for my party should point out.
While we continue to tag him a liar, hoping it will stain his image, Bawumia is going round selling his message about what he has done as Vice President to Ghanaians. He is pointing out his achievements and explaining his vision.
To be honest, I have watched videos of Dr. Bawumia on the campaign trail and his message is compelling. And as a sympathiser of the NDC, this worries me.
How can a voter ignore some one who has initiated or championed so many good policies such as the Agenda 111, One Constituency One Ambulance, Zongo Development Fund, Ghanacard, the ability to travel to Ghana with your Ghanacard, Digital Address System, Mobile Money Interoperability, Paperless Ports, Gold for Oil, Buying ECG credit on the mobile phone, renewing NHIS membership on your mobile phone, solving the problem of ghost workers, amongst others.
When Bawumia announced that drone would deliver medical supplies to remote areas, we called him a liar! He has achieved this, so how do we convince Ghanaians that he is a liar? What he is selling he has done are real issues that matter to the populace and they appreciate Dr. Bawumia for it.
Our strategy of trying to label him as somewhat untruthful does not hold water with most voters who have come to acknowledge Dr Bawumia as the best VP in the fourth republic.
My advice to our NDC campaign leadership is that we should change course and rather attack Dr. Bawumia on his policies. We are rather making him more popular by trying to brand him as a liar because we rather appear to be lying to the Ghanaian public.
We cannot continuously tag him a liar, when the evidence to the public points to the contrary.
A word to the wise…… !
James Essilfie Conduah
Concerned NDC sympathiser