Political science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Prof. Ransford Gyampo, has stated that the discerning quality of the Assin North electorates played a role in the recently concluded bye-election.
According to Prof. Gyampo, the incumbent New Patriotic Party (NPP) appeared to have overestimated the voters’ ability to decipher the hidden motives and meanings underlying several tactics used.
He further stated that the locals understood the reasons behind the sudden increase in construction projects and the attempts at vote-buying. The instructor thinks they made the decision to “teach them [NPP] a lesson” by supporting James Gyakye Quayson of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Additionally, he claimed that the people’s decisions were influenced by the haughty show of vote-buying, the hasty construction of roads, and the hastened commissioning of new projects.
“…and then when you are quizzed, what you are told is that these were the projects that were already implemented and so they were already programmes that we were doing.”
Prof. Ransford Gyampo
Given that the Assin North electorate saw what happened in Kumawu, the Professor claimed that continuing with the same tactic was “quite insulting to the intelligence of the people of Ghana and it’s about time they change that strategy.”
Everyone is aware, he said, that whenever a by-election is scheduled, subpar roads are always built, and that once the election is completed, the project is also abandoned.
“When you go at them, then they tell you that it was on our radar. We’re going to construct it anyway; it was not because of the bye-election. We are not daft people. The people of Assin North, they too they are not dumb. They are able to read in between the lines.
“So, if you’re a politician and you keep on resorting to this particular stomach direction, vote-buying attitude that you cannot think to vary your strategy in the light of the fact that people are now rational, then you yourself, you are more dumb than the people you are thinking are dumb.”
Prof. Ransford Gyampo
This was not the only reason he believes the NDC won the election. Another factor, the political scientist says, is the ongoing legal battle against James Gyakye Quayson.
Akufo-Addo Was Wrong In Strategy
In a last-minute effort to boost support for the NPP candidate, President Akufo-Addo warned the locals that voting for Mr. Gyakye Quayson would put a Member of Parliament at risk of legal disputes.
According to Prof. Gyampo, the President made a mistake in terms of electoral strategy, since he courted greater support for the NDC.
“He [Akufo-Addo] made him popular. And then given what was happening to him or what is still happening to him, and the fact that you have had a whole sitting President going to make a prejudicial comment that the man is already on his way to prison. Forgetting that Kwame Nkrumah won an election when he was already in incarceration.
“And I was surprised that the President didn’t know apart from the fact that the comments, were too prejudicial. He didn’t know that the comment could also elicit more sympathy for the man.”
Prof. Ransford Gyampo
The National Democratic Congress’s (NDC) James Gyakye Quayson will be making a comeback to Parliament after his supporters stood by him and helped him prevail in the hotly contested Assin North seat by-election on Tuesday.
According to Sammy Gyamfi, the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC’s) National Communications Officer, James Gyakye Quayson, the recently elected Member of Parliament for Assin North, is anticipated to take the oath of office tomorrow, Friday, June 30.
As stated by Sammy Gyamfi, for the next step to be taken, the Electoral Commission (EC) must formally inform Parliament of the by-election results by writ per the legislation. He stated the notification to Parliament process is still under progress.
READ ALSO: NDC Victory In Assin North; Product Of Superior Message– Basintale
