According to Dr. Maliha Abubakar, a Political Science lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, although the nomination was long overdue, it is a positive development that Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has finally been named as Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s running mate.
She stated that the accusation by Ghanaians that NAPO is arrogant stems from his reaction or response to the recent calls for a timetable from ECG, stressing that anyone who hears his response would likely conclude that it sounds arrogant.
Dr. Abubakar noted that the Energy Minister’s response was in bad taste, and given a second chance, he would not give such a response, indicating that people are right in saying that such behavior is arrogant.
“Yes, those who are closer to Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh say he’s an affable person, that he’s a nice person. But remember, you are a politician, and many people are not close to you”.
“We only watch from afar, and so we form perceptions about your character from afar. And your posture and the way you behave will let people perceive you as a nice person or not”.
Dr. Maliha Abubakar
She indicated that others argue that NAPO’s posturing is merely a sign of confidence and that Ghanaians often misinterpret confidence as arrogance, stressing that this argument is entirely wrong.
The Political Scientist asserted that there are many confident people around, yet others approach them and they deal with others with respect.
Dr. Abubakar indicated that Dr. Prempeh’s behavior was disrespectful, stating that the NPP must try to do some damage repair.
“And people have that perception about him. What can you do to dispel this myth, if it is actually a myth, or to dispel the perception that he is arrogant? That is something they [the NPP] need to start thinking about. That is something they need to work hard on”.
Dr. Maliha Abubakar
Furthermore, she urged the NPP to recognize that NAPO has a competitor in Professor Nana Jane Opoku and that people will inevitably compare the two.
She noted that trying to downplay the fact that people call him arrogant by saying that, as long as people are not calling him corrupt and incompetent, it’s acceptable, is not fine.
“If you are a public servant, you are a servant. You are supposed to serve… I don’t want to argue with the fact that he’s politically incorrect. You can be politically incorrect, but you can still be respectful in your dealings with citizens”.
Dr. Maliha Abubakar
NAPO’s Arrogance To Not Impact NPP’s Electoral Prospects
According to Dr. Maliha Abubakar, the effect of NAPO’s perceived arrogance on the NPP’s electoral prospects is a matter of perspective.
She noted that the Ashanti region is the stronghold of the NPP, often referred to as the party’s “World Bank,” and that in the last election, the NPP defeated the NDC by over one million votes in the region, a significantly large margin.
She also indicated that NAPO has consistently won his constituency, with his margin of victory increasing each time.
“So his attitude affecting the votes of the NPP in the Ashanti region, I doubt it. I don’t think that is going to happen. And once the NPP can still win the Ashanti region massively, then I think they are fine”.
“But would he be able to win votes from other regions beyond his home region? If they really intend to make any gains, any inroads in regions outside the Ashanti region, then I think they would need to work on his character. Because remember, the Ashanti region is not, the only region that he would be representing now since he is going to be a vice president if he gets elected”.
Dr. Maliha Abubakar
Speaking to the Vaultz News, Dr. Abubakar stressed that NAPO’s personality will not greatly affect the NPP’s fortunes, especially since he is from the Ashanti region, which is a stronghold of the NPP.
She pointed out that voters in the Ashanti region are likely to remain loyal to NAPO despite their perception of him as arrogant.
She further reiterated that the best the NPP can do is to perform damage control by rebranding NAPO through improving his communication skills.
She recommended that the NPP engage a communication expert to assist in rebranding NAPO’s public image.
“I think we still have a few months into the election, and something can be done about it. I think he can rebrand himself. The NPP can rebrand him to be the kind of running mate that Ghanaians want. Ghanaians do not like people who appear to show arrogance. Ghanaians want people who are affable people they can easily talk to”.
Dr. Maliha Abubakar
She noted that beyond the running mate, there are additional factors that play a crucial role in determining the fortunes of either the NDC or the NPP.
Dr. Abubakar stated that economic issues are definitely at the top, followed by concerns about governance, integrity, and corruption.
She cautioned the public against simplistically attributing the electoral fortunes of the NDC and the NPP solely to the character of their respective running mates.
The Political Scientist indicated that while some Ghanaians will vote based on party loyalty, others will still cast their ballots based on the issues.
Dr. Abubakar further stated that the perception of party disunity in the NPP, stemming from the selection of NAPO, is unfounded.
“Before his selection… I can remember Mr. Appiah Kubi who came out openly to say he was not in support of the nomination of NAPO as, the running mate to Bawumia. But after his selection, he came out again and said, well, NAPO has been selected, and that they all have to rally behind him”.
Dr. Maliha Abubakar
She stressed that there is no deep division within the NPP that could significantly impact the party’s fortunes in the upcoming election. “There isn’t any division at all”, she added.
She observed that the NPP has embraced Dr. Bawumia’s choice and is united in its determination to work together, thus dispelling any notion of a major rift.
NDC To Ignore NAPO’s Arrogance, Focus On Key Issues
Remarkably, Dr. Maliha Abubakar noted that the NDC would be better off not capitalizing on NAPO’s perceived arrogance, pointing out that the NDC has an excellent running mate of its own, making the selection of NAPO irrelevant to its campaign.
She urged the NDC to prioritize showcasing its running mate’s strengths, followed by its presidential candidate’s.
As such, Dr. Abubakar advised the NDC to focus on the issues that matter to Ghanaians, rather than NAPO’s perceived arrogance.
“… There are so many issues that are of importance to the Ghanaians now that if they focus on, they would be able to, sway many floating voters and even people who are not very strong NPP”.
“Maybe they have voted for NPP in the past, but they are not happy or they are discontented with happenings right now and would easily swing their votes if, they are properly convinced. So rather, instead of the NDC focusing on the arrogance of NAPO, I think that is not significant to the Ghanaian right now”.
Dr. Maliha Abubakar
The Political Scientist further advised that the NDC should prioritize issues like economic management, corruption reduction, and upholding government integrity.
She asserted that these issues would showcase the NDC’s party and candidates more effectively than focusing on NAPO’s character.
Dr. Abubakar pointed out that the NDC’s recent media engagement is an opportunity the party can leverage.
“And if you ask me, the former president, John Dramani Mahama, almost convinced me or at least convinced me that he meant the things he was saying”.
“I have always viewed the actions and inactions of politicians with duplicity because they say one thing, and when they come to power, they say a lot about it. Yesterday, the former president actually looked very authentic, and they should focus on such things and focus less on the selection of NAPO”.
Dr. Maliha Abubakar
Parties’ Manifesto Delay, A Game Of Strategy
Furthermore, Dr. Maliha Abubakar lamented that nearly five months into the election cycle, the NPP and NDC have yet to release their manifestos, leaving voters in the dark about their policy proposals.
She emphasized that at this stage, Ghanaians should have a clear understanding of each party’s platform, enabling them to carefully evaluate their options and make informed choices.
“But then again, when you look at it, I think they are deploying what in public policy we call the game theory in decision-making. So the NDC and the NPP are both holding on to their manifestos. They are watching the moves of one another or each other to see who puts out their manifesto first and what is in the manifesto of one party or the other”.
“I don’t know whether they want to see it so that they can make changes to theirs or not. But whatever be the case, yesterday, I think at the press briefing, the NDC mentioned that they would be releasing their manifesto next month”.
Dr. Maliha Abubakar
Meanwhile, the NPP has not provided a timeline for its manifesto, the NDC, however, is hoped to release its manifesto next month.
She noted that she is certain that as soon as the NDC releases its manifesto, the NPP will promptly follow suit.
“As a matter of fact, we cannot wait to see what the NDC the alternative. Indeed, if they indeed have an alternative, we can’t wait to see what they have for Ghanaians. We want to see whether it is really different from what we have been served the last seven years and a half”.
Dr. Maliha Abubakar
However, Dr. Abubakar wondered what the point of a manifesto is if politicians, once in power, ignore its contents and instead pursue their own interests.
She remarked that African politicians are notorious for their duplicity, saying one thing and doing another, and their manifestos are no exception.
The Political Scientist observed that leaders often produce impressive manifestos with lofty promises, raising questions about their ability to deliver on those promises.
“And they come to power, and true to the case, they are not able to fulfill the promises they make in their manifestos. And when you ask, sometimes they even tweak it to look something different from what they had in the manifesto. So, yes, they have delayed with their manifesto. Is it even important at all?”
“Because at the end of the day I mean, they are not able to, fulfill their promises. But in any case, I think we still need to have their manifesto because based on the manifesto they present, we are able to judge and tell whether they have performed well or not”.
Dr. Maliha Abubakar
“So it is still very relevant even though most of the time, they do not go with it”. – Dr. Maliha Abubakar
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