As the 2024 general elections approach, Ghana, a shining example of democratic excellence in West Africa, is preparing to exercise its democratic muscles and showcase its longstanding commitment to free and fair elections.
However, the current political climate is marked by heightened tensions, polarization, and intentions that may threaten the country’s renowned peace and stability.
In an interview with the Vaultz News, Dr. George Asekere, a Political Science lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), indicated that the effects of the current political tension are negative.
He noted that a cardinal underpinning of democracy is participation; therefore, everybody is supposed to have a say in the policies and programs that affect Ghanaians.
As such, he explained that when there’s tension in the system, the effect is that some people will recoil and consequently lose interest in the electoral process.
Dr. Asekere indicated that some citizens do not participate for fear of unforeseen events, like violence during polls, citing the incident of the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election as an example.
“If your child is in Legon and there’s an election going on, and you hear that there is tension on campus, and as a parent will not tell your child to go and vote. Definitely not. And so while it happens like that and it’s widespread, the tendency is that many people will not participate in the electoral process. It will lead to low turnout in the elections, which is not good for our democracy”.
“Now some people and politicians [may] argue that it doesn’t matter because if 100 people vote, you still have a president. Exactly. But the effect is on the democracy of the country”.
Dr. George Asekere
Furthermore, he noted that democracy is monitored worldwide, stating that the kind of democracy and electoral system a country has, has a direct link with the kind of investors that come into the country.
He indicated that serious investors take into consideration the stability of a country’s political environment when making decisions about investing in a country.
“So apart from having a negative effect on the electoral turnout, it has serious effects on our relationship with our development partners”. – Dr. George Asekere
Procedural Fraud, A Major Concern In Ghana’s Electoral Process
Furthermore, Dr. George Asekere indicated that the major issue underlying the current political tension is Ghana’s electoral management system.
He pointed out that ballot fraud and procedural fraud are the two types of electoral fraud that could lead to serious consequences and are a source of worry.
Dr. Asekere has identified procedural fraud as the current challenge facing Ghana, emphasizing that it pertains to the preparatory measures implemented prior to Election Day.
“So for example, if you disqualify so many people from getting onto the electoral roll, it’s part of the procedural fraud. If you start the electoral formation with partisan people, it is part of the procedural fraud. If you do not let the people know ahead of time where they are going to vote, is part of the procedural fraud”.
Dr. George Asekere
The Political Scientist stated that if any of the parties in an election feels that the processes leading up to the election are not fair, it could lead to tension.
He warned that successful procedural fraud can undermine election integrity, rendering the outcome questionable, even if observers report a smooth voting process.
“They [election observers] will say it is free and fair, and it will be true. But the reality is that some fraud took place before Election Day. So if you look at the political atmosphere, serious actors will want to do everything humanly possible to avoid the procedural fraud even before the Election Day”.
Dr. George Asekere
Promoting Democratic Values
According to Dr. George Asekere, the 1992 constitution and the Political Parties Act are the two major frameworks within which Ghana operates in its electoral politics.
He emphasized that political parties have a vital responsibility to foster democratic awareness and values among the citizenry, as stipulated in these frameworks.
He emphasized that the Constitution and Political Parties Act should inform people about the extent of Ghana’s democratic governance.
“So that if I vote for you and ‘A’ votes for your colleague and ‘A’s’ candidate wins, I should accept it as part of the game. And so if the political actors communicate this way, that will be the response from the actors. On the other hand, if the political actors are communicating violence, intimidation, [and] threats, that is what the voters will take. Remember, followers can do anything they want”.
Dr. George Asekere
He warned that excessive negative speech and vile propaganda by politicians can harm the political system, although propaganda itself is not inherently bad.
“What is propaganda? Joseph Goebbels, the father of propaganda, he said propaganda is just like a stupendous lie repeated in zeal. But that lie ought to be sensible. So for example, the government says I have constructed 300 factories. Whether they are firms or stores, the government is communicating factory. That’s propaganda. There’s nothing wrong with that”.
“If the government says I’ve done a factory in, say, Wenchi, and it is true or false, what is the store or factory? And you are in Tama. You can’t see, but based on that, you make the decision to vote for the government. That is policy propaganda. There’s nothing wrong with that”.
Dr. George Asekere
He stated that, however, if propaganda is used in a vile manner, such as portraying a candidate as a demon or a murderer, or inciting ethnic tensions in the country, then it has negative consequences. Such vile propaganda can be harmful.
Playing By The Rules, Key To Peaceful Elections
Moreover, Dr. George Asekere emphasized that to prevent conflict from arising from the current tension, leadership must ensure fairness and equal treatment for all.
He emphasized that all stakeholders must ensure the diligent application of the country’s laws, without exceptions, to prevent a selective justice system.
“If we promote selective justice, then we are preparing ourselves for what we do not want to see. But once we play by the rules of the game, politicians can talk, by the end of the day, there will be peace”.
Dr. George Asekere
Furthermore, he lamented that politicians are rarely held accountable for their role in perpetuating chaos and political instability.
Making an inference, he stated that Laurent Gbagbo was accused of being a central figure in the conflict that led to the deaths of many people in Côte d’Ivoire.
He pointed out that despite being tried at the International Criminal Court (ICC), Laurent Gbagbo was acquitted and is even planning to run for office again.
“You heard of Charles Taylor, all the trouble they said he caused, all the lives that were, you know, taken, Charles Taylor is enjoying. His wife even became the vice president when he was in jail. His family never suffered”.
“Uhuru Kenyatta in Kenya. All the chaos came, people died. They cited him for ICC. Today, his the former president and he is enjoying it. All the charges have been dropped. So to think that the politician will lead you into conflict and will be held accountable, I’m afraid it will never happen”.
Dr. George Asekere
He indicated that, at worst, there will be scapegoats, but their families will continue to enjoy the spoils. “So, followers must understand this and ensure they don’t reach that point”, he added.”
He pointed out that in the event of chaos in a country, government officials, including ministers, presidents, and flagbearers, typically hold diplomatic passports that grant them immunity.
“They will run away and leave you here… So we shouldn’t even allow ourselves to be used”. – Dr. George Asekere
Ghana’s Electoral Process Falls Short Of Standards
Additionally, Dr. Asekere stated that, unfortunately, there is no country in Sub-Saharan Africa whose electoral process Ghana can emulate, except for South Africa, which Ghana can use as a model.
He pointed out that Jacob Zuma, despite being a liability to the ANC, was allowed to run and ultimately caused the party to lose its majority for the first time.
He reiterated that South Africa is a prime example for Ghana to learn from, pointing out that while other countries may claim to have free, fair, and transparent elections, procedural fraud can undermine the legitimacy of their electoral outcomes.
He indicated that Ghana was once a model for others to learn from, but unfortunately, that is no longer the case since 2020.
“From what we are hearing and what we are seeing, the kind of people that we are employing into the Electoral Commission, known partisan people into Electoral Commission. It doesn’t engender trust”.
Dr. George Asekere
The Political Scientist further noted that the actions of the Electoral Commission (EC) itself, as well as the utterances of its commissioners, send a signal that the EC is not committed to fairness.
Speaking to the Vaultz News, Dr. Asekere stated that, unfortunately, the EC officials are not politically neutral, as evident from their own utterances.
He urged the Electoral Commission (EC) to play by the rules and ensure the integrity of the electoral process so that people can have trust in the lead-up to the election.
“My sister [referring to the interviewer], I don’t know you. If you were appointed as Electoral Commissioner, it would be difficult for so many people to talk. But if what the people are saying is anything to go by if, for example, I’m a lecturer at the university, and I’ve been the TESCON Patron or TEIN Patron over so many years… If I am appointed as a commissioner, there will be a problem”.
Dr. George Asekere
He also stated that the Institute of Economic Affairs’ (IEA) role in Ghana’s electoral process has been tarnished by allegations of partisan affiliation with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) since 1992, leading to a loss of trust in the institution
He noted that even if an IEA official is exceptionally fair, credible, and qualified, the widespread allegations of partisan affiliation have so thoroughly tainted the institution that the appointment of such a person would still be perceived as problematic.
“So it may have nothing to do with the qualities of the individual and whether they are capable of doing the job or not. You go to the Supreme Court when there’s a problem with an election… The judges are reasonable people. They are fair. They operate with the law. But once you appoint the parliamentary candidate of a major political party to the Supreme Court bench, the ruling of that judge will be seen suspiciously even if it is fair. That is the problem”.
Dr. George Asekere
He urged all stakeholders in the election to play by the rules, ensuring transparency in every aspect. “After all, all the candidates are legitimate Ghanaians”, he added, emphasizing their shared nationality.
“So it doesn’t really matter who wins the elections. We have tasted NDC. We have tasted NPP. We are still eating our kelewele”. – Dr. George Asekere
He urged politicians to allow the people to make their own free choices, based on the campaign messages of political parties and their ability to convince the electorate to vote for them.
Stakeholders To Play Active Role In Ensuring Peace
Most importantly, Dr. George Asekere emphasized that Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), traditional leaders, and other stakeholders are vital actors in ensuring peace and stability before, during, and after the election, stressing that they should not remain passive observers but rather take an active role.
“They should be active participants in the electoral process. We all know that political parties have supporters who are like babies with sharp teeth. You talk, they’ll come after you. But that should not prevent them from talking”.
Dr. George Asekere
He noted that as the conscience of society, they have a responsibility to speak out against anything they see as wrong, with the sole intention of building a strong democracy and a just society.
As such, Dr. George Asekere emphasized their role in dissipating the built-up tension in the political climate, warning that their passivity could harm the country’s long-enjoyed peace and stability.
Accordingly, in light of the potentially far-reaching consequences of escalating political tension, Ghana’s political leaders are urged to prioritize peace, engage in constructive dialogue, and respect the electoral process to ensure a peaceful and credible election that reflects the will of the people.
