Sammy Gyamfi
In a surprising move, the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has directed its members to avoid commenting on Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s recent media engagement, spelling out his vision further after his manifesto launch in Takoradi.
The NDC Communication Bureau (NCB) has instructed its team to “blacklist the program” and focus on discussing the party manifesto instead launched over the weekend in Winneba.
In a notice sighted by DGN Online, it stated that “Dear team, This is a directive from the NCB. No one should comment or talk about Bawumia’s encounter with the press. We must blacklist the program and talk about our manifesto.
“No matter the jokes, the goofs, the anger, and lies, please do not comment on it. If you are tempted to comment, kindly post a policy from the manifesto.
“They have an agenda and we must not fall for it. Pls admin, any post from the NPP should be deleted immediately and the person warned. Thank you”.
The move comes as former President John Mahama’s manifesto, launched over the weekend, struggles to gain media attention.
Despite efforts to promote it, the document has been overshadowed by the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) recent manifesto launch, which featured Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia prominently.
Due to that, the NDC is concerned that Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s encounter with the press may further divert attention from Mahama’s manifesto, which has failed to resonate with the public.
By avoiding engagement with Dr Bawumia’s media encounter, the NDC hopes to shift focus back to their campaign promises.
However, critics argue that this gag order is a sign of weakness and that the NDC should instead engage with the NPP’s ideas and showcase the strengths of Mahama’s manifesto.
-BY Daniel Bampoe