Asiedu Nketia
The political landscape of Ghana is like an environment where gun diplomacy just brought an end to a protracted war and therefore dotted with land mines. It is always dangerous to live in such space full of booby traps that inhibit the free movement of the people.
Our present circumstances are even more dangerous than a post-war situation, especially when those who commit to our democratic dispensation have done so because of personal gain and not because they want the involvement of all in the decision-making process.
Having lost two elections in 2016 and 2020, it appears they have lost hope in the electoral process ever helping them to stage a comeback, hence they see the current wave of coups in Africa as the only way to rescue the NDC from opposition.
Their statements and posturing in recent times have exposed them as unworthy students of politics whose only interest is how they can stay in power to, in the words of the Supreme Court, “create, loot and share.”
There is no doubt about the coup mentality of the NDC, as its Chairman, Asiedu Nketia and its flagbearer, Mr. John Mahama claim the country is ripe for a coup. So the question is, why is the NDC preparing to contest the 2024 general election if it no longer has faith in the ballot box?
And like Nana Akufo-Addo said in 2020, has Mahama’s campaign again “fallen into water” and his own rescue to remain relevant lies in a military takeover of government? We can assure him and his likes in academia, media and civil society the regime change desire will remain a pipedream.
There may be difficulties in meeting the aspirations of the people under our present dispensation, but the alternative of a military coup is abominable. Let Ghanaians shine their eyes to spot these pseudo democrats from our political scene so that only those sincere ones would be left to steer the ship of state to safety.
Mr. Mahama, why this latest appetite for military intervention in our democratic governance? Whatever the pitfalls, we remind you of the popular saying of your protégé, Kwame Nkrumah during the independence struggle, “we prefer self-government with danger to servitude in tranquility” and make it clear to the NDC that a bad civilian government is better than a military junta.
For after all, the people have the opportunity to vote for the party of their choice and in the case of Ghana the electorate have changed elected regimes in 2000, 2008 and 2016. That makes our democracy the showpiece on a continent bedeviled with democratic deficits. The NDC can only be showing traces of double standards and frankly be said to be hypocrites. The NDC is a wolf in a sheep’s skin.
The NDC can fit into the frustrations exhibited by Jimmy Cliff in his song “Hypocrites” where he expressed fears about snakes in grass. Listen to his lyrics in part, “We walked, we talked together, yes we did. We ate, we drank together, yes we did. But when I find you’re a snake in the grass…” Now, as we engage in the democratic discourse, the people are not too sure whether we are not sitting at table with serpents or pretenders.
The song coming from the leaders of the NDC cannot be from the same democratic hymn book. There is discord in the landscape because John Mahama and Asiedu Nketia are singing a different “do re mi fa so la te do” from Burma Camp Concerto.