What a battle! It is June 2024 and tensions are still running high. It will take a true prophet of God, a God-fearing mallam and a powerful traditional priest to predict the fate of the two leading candidates, John Mahama and Mahamadu Bawumia, in the December presidential elections.
Judging by what we’re hearing from students and young people, a collaboration between Cheddar and Alan Kierematen could make it a reality. Students love Cheddar.
I am not ignorant that credible scientific opinion polls have predicted the NDC/NPP candidate to win but I still caution people to exercise restraint, although none of the candidates have released their manifestos.
I am surprised that no one has acknowledged the accuracy of my prophecy. Didn’t I warn John Mahama earlier this year that he was about to face the hottest fight of his life since 1992?
The signs were clear then. And they remain so today. Bawumia is a fierce strategist and his team is a formidable bunch. They have demonstrated an impressive ability to turn the most negative communication to their candidate’s advantage. That’s why, even though the polls showed Bawumia lagging (as of early 2024), I saw signs telling me it was still too early. The professor’s latest poll, with Bawumia ahead, cannot be ignored.
Two years before anyone in the NPP hinted that the Vice President would run, it was only hinted at by his most trusted aides in Jubilee House (including Akufo-Addo and Samira). They were sowing the seeds while everyone else was asleep. They visited churches, appeared in public for photo ops with Father Campbell, donated to the National Cathedral, and the media repeatedly quoted Bawumia saying that “Christians and Muslims serve the same God.” Within the NPP, the expectation was that Allan Kyerematen would run alone or that he would be hard to beat.
Even after the Vice President made the declaration, it became difficult for anyone to play the religion card, because before they even opened their mouths, there were newspaper and radio reports and analyses accusing people of using religion.
Apart from human strategists and government promoters, I foresaw before most Ghanaians that the projects Bawumia initiated in the five northern regions and parts of Oti would have major political advantages. These World Bank-funded projects are vote-swaying, game-changing and heart-stirring projects.
Well, as the saying goes, all is fair in love and war.
I like Mr Mahama. The NDC opposition failed to see through the legal mayhem of 2021. The stories of being framed and threats to take the party to the Supreme Court (which Mr Mahama has flouted) were meant to lead party members to conclude that John Mahama did not lose the 2020 elections. In that scenario, it was easy to ask for another chance as party leader.
I opposed his Okada politics in 2020 and I still do, but who am I? I am one of the approximately 2 million Okada riders and their families who are against it. This time, Mahama’s promise is even more attractive to riders. Who among us who struggles would not shout “Wow” if we were promised electric bikes that are not dependent on fuel? Such motors do not consume gasoline, but the battery is charged.
In a country where “sus” is the backbone of millions of Mobrovsky personal economies, the promise of “installments” is understandable – everyone will be able to own a motorcycle without any trouble!!!
Now, listen to Mahama’s final promise to Okada: “I will also assist those who do not have licenses to obtain them.”
But the battle was raging. From afar, Bawumia saw many young girls and thousands of porter chiefs, called Kayayei. He didn’t see girls, he saw votes!
Who can remain silent as the precious juice dribbles onto their tongue? Ghana’s 100,000 Kayayei held their breath as Bawumia broke the ground to commence construction work on a four-storey hostel facility in Ajeng Kotok as part of seven facilities in the seven local government areas.
Girls jumped with excitement as Bawumia inaugurated the centre, which will not only provide accommodation for the girls but also train them in vocational skills such as fashion and beauty. The centres will be set up in the Ashanti and Bono East regions.
In May this year, Bawumia launched an initiative focused on “empowering a total of 5,000 Kayayei people and improving their socio-economic status through the transformative power of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).”
Known as the Kayaei Empowerment Programme, it will train a group of 5,000 head porters in areas such as bread baking and beadwork.
The best part is that upon completion of the training, participants will receive GHc1,000 from YEA.Wow!!!
I tell you, all is fair in war, love and politics.
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