Asiedu Nketia
Any serious army preparing for war must have an astute General and a very motivated army. For those are two ingredients needed for a successful warfare. So when you see a confused General leading a demoralized army to war, you needn’t be a soothsayer to predict their imminent defeat. Indeed, only a foolish General plunges into battle without doing any homework about his opponent’s strength.
When Zu-za and its Inter-Party Resistance Against a New Voters’ Register (IPRNA) first announced their resolve to ensure the Electoral Commission’s decision to compile a new electoral roll did not see the light of day, many were those who said it was an exercise in futility. Their desire to paint the Electoral Commission (EC) black blinded them from learning from the ‘Let My Vote Count’ experience. They refused to see reason and decided to play the game to the end. Now they’ve seen their smoothness level, haven’t they?
Zu-za thought it could delude me and my compatriots to support its ill-conceived plan to make life unbearable for the Jean Mensa EC. But the content of the leaked tape from Elder Kidnapper made it difficult for us to believe in the genuineness of its cause.
Despite failing to get support from the populace, it still left no stone unturned in its efforts to give the EC a very bad image. They organized three demonstrations in Tamale, Kumasi and Accra to protest the move to have a new voters’ register. The Tamale protest was particularly rowdy as the protestors burnt car tyres and tried in vain to lure the security personnel on parade to act.
When the demonstrations, the threats and name-calling failed to yield any results, they resorted to the court – an option they were initially advised to take advantage of but rejected. After all the legal gymnastics, the Supreme Court (SC) finally delivered its verdict last Thursday. The SC confirmed the fact that Zu-za was only going on a wild goose chase. The apex court gave the EC the go ahead to compile a new electoral roll excluding the existing voter ID from the list of identification requirements for the registration process.
Surprisingly, however, General Ntontom was seen celebrating as he alluded to the fact that his party’s wish had been granted by the court. The confused General had either been wrongly briefed by his party’s legal team or he was only exhibiting his trademark tomfoolery.
President Ogwanfunu subsequently admitted that his party’s desire had not been granted by the SC and went on to accuse the EC of doing the bidding of the Elephant. The visibly angry former president was not only thinking about the cowries he had wasted on the failed campaign against the new register, but also wondering how his party could win the 2020 polls without a bloated register.
As you already know, konkonsa is not a crime. It is only a communication channel that gives facts long before the gong-gong is beaten. The konkonsa I want to share with you is that President Ogwanfunu is not happy with the court’s verdict because he had spent a whopping two million cowries on the failed campaign. The only beneficiary, I’m told, is the demonstration contractor who enjoys climbing the coconut tree. Do you now understand his motivation for insulting and threatening the electoral commissioners?
We all agree Zu-za has suffered. And nobody with a skull tightly screwed to the head will like to suffer for no reward. Suffering should give birth to something good and meaningful. Zu-za played the game to the end and got nothing. Both the EC and SC have rejected their call for the old register to be maintained. A reward for their stubbornness!
Do I sympathize with them? No, I don’t. This is because their leadership was belligerent and foolish. After threatening fire and brimstone and promising their supporters that a new electoral roll was a dream that would never come to pass, I wonder how the confused General would be able to organize his demoralized army for the registration exercise.
I’m excited the EC has stood its ground and proceeded with its plans. Yes, it is good to consult and get consensus. But one cannot consult or get consensus every time. Indeed, “consultation” does not mean the EC should pander to the whims of a bunch of political deviants with a confused General. Daabi da!
See you next week for another interesting konkonsa, Deo volente!