It’s the aftermath of Nigeria’s
successful elections even though the real or imagined turmoil is yet to settle
and these happenstances seem to have a daunting impression on the body politic
of Ghana. Aside economic relations that
have binded the two countries together and fact that they are all west African
countries, I am not able to draw any line between the unsubstantiated
inferences that are flying about.
According to some observers and social
commentators who mostly align with the main opposition party; the New Patriotic
Party (NPP), the final results of Ghana’s General election which comes off in
2016 is just the true and exact reflection of what happened in far away
Nigeria. The erroneous and oversimplified assertion which leaves no margin of
error only makes one want to ask if these people are really serious about
governing our ailing state that needs timely redemption.
Admittedly, Ghana is not doing
well and requires a formidable opposition that can flaw the modus operandi of
the ruling government and offering better alternatives thereof. An opposition
that will put forward, realistic issues that will bring everybody to the table
and a better campaign message that will translate into a beacon of hope to the
hopeless and finally a can-do person we can all rally around to move us out of
the quagmire we find ourselves in, but if people go about touting some bogus
analysis that won’t fly, then I am tempted to think that the opposition is not
ready to take over the reins of governance from our dead goat of a President.
For crying out loud, how can folks
even come out with analysis such as, Buhari won the presidency at 72 and so is
Nana Akufo Addo by next year at 72 and while Jonathan is already 58, Mahama is
yet to hit 58 by next year? While they are both known to take over the reins of
power from their bosses after their demise in office, the PDP and NDC of Ghana are
symptomatic of the umbrella as their emblems, so by inference, APC, a Socialist
party is NPP and Nana Addo, the same as Muhammadu Buhari. Additionally their
respective opponents, Jonathan and Mahama have both been alleged to preside
over massive corruption, mismanagement of the economy and bad governance which
makes the plot Grande.
I shudder at these porous analysis because it
looks like that is where the coincidence starts and ends and Nigeria’s
elections outcome has got nothing on Ghana’s Presidential elections come next
year. These people who think Buhari’s win is a precursor to Nana Addo’s win
simply because of a handful coincidences have also forgotten that the political
terrain in Nigeria and it’s demographics is far different from that of Ghana
and whereas Jonathan woefully failed to contain the actions of the insurgents,
Boko Haram, John Mahama has nothing to contend with except the chronic dumsor which has always bedeviled Ghana
anyway.
Conversely, these impoverished
thoughts have blinded the commentators to forget that the 72year old Buhari is
more astute and agile than the 71year old Nana Addo and cannot really be
compared to, in terms of health and zest to do the work at the Presidency. It
is also noteworthy that Buhari has been a Major General in the army before and
comes on as a hopeful candidate to restore peace and to quell down the rampant
death, arsons and insecurity as a result of the insurgence of its people. They
have also forgotten that as someone who comes from the North, he succeeded in
garnering support from the Muslims who almost outnumbers other religious sects
combined. And if Buhari has once been a Prime Minister through a Coup d’état,
how realistic are these comparisons by comparing Nana Addo to him as though he
has also executed a coup before?
In the same vein, they have
forgotten that the sterling performance of the Ex-Army General and
someone who
has once being a President speaks for itself while Nana Addo is still
contending his Lawyer Status or yet to convince all and sundry that he was
called to the Bar? They have also forgotten that unlike Buhari, who is a
Muslim, the two main contenders on our terrain are both Christians and are
bound to split votes on that score. What more? Buhari has not side stepped the
constitution to impose women on their constituents at the expense of their male
counterparts or has not issued a caveat to the Ibos not to contest elections in
the Yoruba dominated areas, thus denying aspirants and other sympathizers, their
constitutional rights to enjoin in anything.
Why has age even become an issue
in our political discourse if the constitution has not placed a limitation on
it? Are we bereft of ideas and issues that will see us progress? And if there
is anything to go by, barring other things, shouldn’t old age be synonymous to
wisdom? Methinks it is time we as a people drop this age factor in our body
politic to rather focus on abilities and capabilities?
We are already disappointed by
the government of the day for not providing the basic necessities that will
ensure better socio-economic lifestyles of its citizens but it gets a lot more painful
when the opposition to check them comes on with this voodoo analysis and knee
jerk reaction that does not stand the test of time. It is even more painful
when all they seem to do is to be shifting goalposts and dancing in circles
which will otherwise make most of the people who are bedfellows with the NDC
not hesitate to sleep in with the incumbent
which will eventually give a closure to Nana Addo’s political career.
In other words, we have gone past
these armchair kinds of Politics, so the Politics in a bid to coming clean and
taking the people serious should refrain from all these gimmicks and compose
verifiable messages that Ghanaians can identify with, because the comparisons
and differences in the two candidates who seems worlds apart can go on unend.
And while these similarities are being bandied around, have we also thought
about the aspirations of Ghanaians which may not necessarily be like that of
the Nigerians?
Going forward, can we agree to
play with the thorns on the roses and tell ourselves that the child’s play is
enough?
writer tweets @vilejah
