Some facts have been deduced from the arguments made by stakeholders, regarding the cause of the NDC 2016 defeat.
Now the opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) had been in a huge shock following the defeat of ex-President Mahama during Ghana’s 2016 elections held on December 7. Though it has been more than three months since the party’s 2016 electoral defeat, the historic episode has remained an agenda for discussion in the media, as well as the Ghanaian society.
A thirteen member committee led by Prof. Kwesi Botchwey, was tasked to investigate what accounted for the party’s historic defeat after the former President lost to President Nana Addo. This committee is also expected to provide political analysis that will help the party choose a good leader ahead of 2020 elections.
But ahead of the committee’s report, there have been a seeming uproar in the opposition party, with senior members picking sides regarding the possible cause of the NDC 2016 defeat. In their bid to analyze the party’s plight, senior members of the party have taken to public, to air their dirty laundry. These different personal analysis in form of discussions; found their way to the media, following talks that defeated President Mahama might make a come back in 2020.
While these have been considered a mere political squabble by some stakeholders, some facts have been deduced from the arguments made regarding the cause of the NDC 2016 defeat.
Former Interior Minister, Mark Woyongo has revealed that he had personal doubts about the leadership style of former President, John Mahama. According to him, the former president tried to satisfy a whole lot of people but it didn’t go the way it should have gone.
The former Interior who says he is not against the so called Mahama comeback, reckoned that the former President should take a second look at his approach towards leadership.
NDC Member of Parliament for Yunyoo in the Northern Region, Joseph Bipoba Naabu has blamed former President Mahama for the party’s electoral defeat. For his own analysis, the MP said the defeated President surrounded himself with inexperienced people who only misled him.
According to him, “Mahama allowed those working around him like Omane Boamah, Felix Ofosu Kwakye, Baba Jamal and other presidential staffers like Stan Dogbe to influence him.” He said that some of the groups who voted against Mahama, did so out of anger, accumulated over time from insults and disrespect by some NDC members.
On the significance of the 13 member committee, the Yunyoo MP showed no confidence in teh squad because he feels they lack the ability or capacity to go to get the opinion of every NDC membber, concerning who would best lead the party in 2020.
National Organiser, Yaw Boateng Gyan in his opinion, have said the Mahama-led government alienated persons who held contrary opinions. Speaking on Kumasi-based Abusua FM, he said the NDC was much more divided than the NPP but pretended all was well and decided to talk about the NPP’s troubles.
“If we had paid attention to what people, our own party people, were saying, I am telling you the NDC wouldn’t have been in opposition by now.”
Former NDC National Chairman, Kwabena Agyei also notes the former President surrounded himself with praise-singers because of his intolerance of divergent views. Speaking to Accra-based Starr FM, he said Mahama was deceived into thinking he was winning the 2016 election when he was losing it.
Meanwhile, National Organiser of the NDC, Kofi Adams has frowned on recent attacks on President Mahama. Kofi Adams have described persons blaming Mahama for the party’s election defeat as uninformed, asking them to stop blowing out of proportion, the little controversy which have found its way to the opposition party.
He has also asked that members who had concerns about the party’s loss should resort to the special committee set up by the party to investigate it’s loss, instead of making comments in the media. He has called for patience and unity and among party members, as they await the special committe for its analysis.
The 13 member committee was formed by the NDC’s Functional Executive Committee (NEC), and approved by its Council of Elders. It is being chaired by a Former Minister of Finance and Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission, Kwesi Botchwey.
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