Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has firmly declared the party’s stance against the proposal to shift the date of the 2024 elections from December to November.
“We [NDC] do not believe that this is being proposed in good faith,” he maintained.
During the opening of the Minority caucus meeting in Ho on Saturday (February 10), the NDC flagbearer, Mr. Mahama, asserted that the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) was displaying signs of anticipating defeat.
He accused the NPP of initiating strategies to discredit the upcoming elections, such as the sudden push by the Electoral Commission to change the election date from December 7 to November 7.
Mr. Mahama highlighted the Electoral Commission’s apparent lack of readiness to conduct the general elections, citing the District Assembly elections held in December last year. He pointed out elementary errors and significant logistical deficiencies, indicating a commission ill-prepared for managing elections.
“All indications point to a resounding victory for the NDC in the 2024 elections and an unmistakable rejection of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government by the people of Ghana upon whom they have heaped very poor governance,” Mr Mahama added.
Expanding on his remarks, Mr. Mahama emphasized that the upcoming elections marked an opportunity to put an end to corruption, maladministration, nepotism, arrogance of power, incompetence, and wasteful use of state resources under the current government.
He suggested that the NPP, sensing its impending defeat, was resorting to fraudulent tactics to manipulate the election results in their favor.
“Regarding the issue of continuous registration, as canvassed by the Electoral Commission, we demand that the process must necessarily include a system that enables all political parties and relevant stakeholders to possess the capacity to monitor that exercise in real time, to avoid fraud and exploitation to the undue advantage of any party,” the NDC flag bearer insisted.
Mr Mahama commended the Minority in Parliament for living up to expectation by putting in valiant efforts to check the excesses of this government.
“The composition of this eighth Parliament under the Fourth Republic placed you at the centre of history and brought in its wake, a unique responsibility and burden of expectation never witnessed.
Mr Mahama reminded the caucus members not to lose sight of the fact that they, as the Minority in Parliament, had become the last bulwark between an overbearing, desperate and non-performing government, and the people.
“Ghanaians are counting on you to secure them against poor governance and keep this government in check” said Mr Mahama.
Mr. Mahama highlighted the recent trend in Ghanaian politics where the electorate has chosen to create a hung Parliament, where neither of the major parties holds a dominant position. He portrayed this as a significant shift reflecting the populace’s long-standing demand for a robust and independent legislative branch capable of effectively scrutinizing the executive. He underscored the importance of such oversight functions in ensuring good governance.
Regarding his policy agenda, Mr. Mahama pointed to the widespread support for his proposed 24-hour economy policy and other policy initiatives aimed at improving living standards and revitalizing the economy. He emphasized that these measures were designed to benefit all citizens, not just a privileged few.
On the issue of the Ghana Card and its potential impact on elections, Mr. Mahama cautioned the Electoral Commission against disenfranchising sections of the population through a rigid insistence on its use as the sole means of identification for voter registration. He criticized the politicization of the Ghana Card and advocated for a more inclusive approach, allowing adequate time for its integration into the lives of Ghanaians.
Mr. Mahama concluded by expressing his concern over what he described as the current government’s poor performance, labeling it as arguably the worst in Ghana’s history under the leadership of Akufo-Addo/Bawumia.
“They have been so bad; their own poster boy is attempting an inexplicable and contriving separation between himself and happenings in the very government he was touted as the brain behind, for purely electoral purposes,” observed Mr Mahama.
Mr. Mahama criticized the NPP government’s handling of the economy, highlighting that they inherited a stable economic situation following a period of temporary challenges. However, he lamented that the NPP had mismanaged the economy to the point where recovery seemed impossible without inflicting significant hardship on the populace.