Elikem Kotoko, Deputy National Organizer of the NDC, has announced that the party’s electoral campaign will focus on grassroots engagement, emphasizing that it will be a low-key campaign with minimal rallies in the lead up to the election.
He pointed out that the NDC plans to revive its successful 2008 campaign strategy, which secured a win for the Atta-Mills/Mahama ticket, by launching a door-to-door outreach effort to connect with voters directly.
He observed that the NDC’s apparent decline in electoral performance and popularity in the Northern region between 2016 and 2020 is a natural fluctuation in politics and not a cause for alarm, as such ebbs and flows are common in political cycles.
“Do not forget that when Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia was introduced on the political scene, he was the Economic messiah who was all over the place…and so many believed that he had the economic magic wand to transform this country. He made it so clear. He asked 170 questions”.
“And so when you see things [Northern votes] turning this way in 2014, 2016, and 2020. Don’t forget that it is the reason why in 2020, their [the NPP] also dropped drastically, and when you speak of the legislature now, it is actually a fifty-fifty steep issue. That tells you many who believed in them [the NPP] and the messages that they carried along have now realized that they were deceived”.
Elikem Kotoko
The NDC stalwart further noted that while the NPP is quick to attribute the country’s problems to global challenges, the current NPP government ironically seeks assistance from other countries that faced similar challenges, exposing a double standard in their reasoning.
Kotoko further noted that the bank’s non-performing loans have surged from 18.7% to 24.1%, emphasizing that this situation is a worrying concern for stakeholders in the business sector.
As such, he stated that Ghanaians can now be very discerning and recognize that many of the promises made by the NPP have gone unfulfilled during their seven years in leadership.
“There’s a need to trust somebody who is not only visionary and a nation builder but very honest and sincere with the Ghanaian”. – Elikem Kotoko
NPP Deputy Chief Debunks NDC’s Claims
Meanwhile, Haruna Mohammed, the Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, countered the NDC’s claims, asserting that the NPP is not experiencing a decline in popularity in the Northern region, but rather maintaining its strong presence.
He observed that, contrary to the NDC’s claims, the NPP has consistently made electoral gains in the Northern Region since previous elections, while the NDC has experienced a corresponding decline in support.
“Once we make gains, the NDC loses votes and that also eats into the percentage grounds that each political party holds. And if you look at the larger Northern region when it was 31 constituencies, you will see that NPP has always picked up and made sure that a clear number of votes have been made. In 2020, it was very massive”.
Haruna Mohammed
He pointed out that in the 2020 presidential election, the NPP secured approximately 286,000 votes, a significant tally that should concern the NDC, rather than prompting them to make unfounded claims about the NPP’s position.
Mohammed highlighted that the NPP holds a slim majority in the Northern region, controlling 16 out of 31 constituencies, while the NDC holds 15, underscoring the NPP’s competitive edge in the region.
He asserted that the Mahama administration’s dismal performance renders it incomparable to the impressive accomplishments of Dr. Bawumia, a highly competent Vice President who has made significant contributions to the country’s development.
The NPP loyalist declared that John Mahama’s presidency was marred by unprecedented incompetence, leading to his rejection by the electorate, and his legacy as a former President continues to be widely criticized.
He dismissed as absurd the NDC’s claim that John Mahama is the ideal candidate to revitalize the country, emphasizing that such a notion is utterly unfounded and unrealistic.
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