Let Mahama go unopposed

Rules are made to be broken because if everyone travels within the bounds of given rules, no horizons will ever be expanded. While I’m not suggesting that the NDC blithely ignore the party’s rules, some rules need to be broken to leave room for more exciting opportunities that will benefit everyone.

Political campaigns in Africa and for that matter Ghana are extremely expensive; therefore, losing elections for two consecutive times or more can be detrimental to a political party.

Raising funds for subsequent campaigns could be difficult since few intrepid financiers would want to support a serial loser.

During the 2019 NDC presidential elections, President John Mahama got 95.20% votes when 6 other candidates contested him. Though he won overwhelmingly, he spent a huge amount of money to campaign just to lead the party. That money could have been saved towards the main elections.

I want to be frank here. If the NDC doesn’t organise well in resource mobilisation for the 2024 elections, they should forget it because the NPP knows what they mean when they say they are going to break the 8; they are not going to be pushovers even though there is severe hardship and the economy is in a mess. I’m not pettifogging, things are kludgy; the NDC is so close to power yet so far. A defeat would be insufferable, and it will be a whopper of a tragedy if they do not make it. Any action taken, therefore, should serve as a path to NDC 2024 victory, not a roadblock.

This could be one of those moments when the Umbrella fraternity could unite on one purpose towards a worthy cause — a cause of snatching power by choosing H.E. John Mahama on the basis of popular acclamation so money would be kept for the party’s 2024 campaign.

Minority Leader of Parliament, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu said not too long ago that President Mahama remains the NDC’s credible, formidable and strong candidate to win the 2024 elections. If this is the case why should money be wasted on a presidential primary election?

Yes, some people may not be happy with this arrangement, but no one can ever please human beings, not even God. Rick Warren says in his “Purpose Driven Life” that he doesn’t know all the keys to success, but one key to failure is to try to please everyone, and he is right. Breaking that rule is not weakness or sin, it is strategic!

When the NDC is in power, an acclamation is done for a president who has another term to continue, as the flag-bearer. Can’t this also be done for a candidate who has massive support, under the exigency of a high-stake 2024 elections?

The bitter truth is that no one can enter the Promised Land without having appetite for “grapes” and also persistently focusing on limitations. The reason why the first generation of the Nation of Israel could not enter the Promised Land was that they did not have an appetite for the grapes found in the Promised Land. The first batch of spies who were sent to the land reported that the land was inhabited with giants and that in their own eyes, they looked like grasshoppers. So, you see, they spent time looking at the limitations, and they missed the appetite.

On the contrary, the generation that entered the Promised Land were so hungry and thirsty for success that they didn’t see the giants, but saw a land flowing with milk and honey; their appetite was so huge that they took some grapes home as evidence of their claim.

The NDC must demonstrate their appetite for power, and the way forward is to activate the spirit of oneness and endeavour to do their best out of a difficult situation. They cannot be successful until they reach for it. That is why they need to reach for the sun because by so doing, even if they fall half way, they will be among the stars. And this is achievable by allowing H.E. John Dramani Mahama to be the NDC’s flag-bearer for 2024, by popular acclamation.

Dear reader, if you are an NDC member and this article makes you gushy, go out and spread the message. Your party needs power. And it is non-negotiable!

Anthony Obeng Afrane