Ace sports journalist Bright Kankam Boadu
Ace sports journalist Bright Kankam Boadu has argued that a major flaw in the strategy of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2024 elections was the selection of lead communicators for the party.
Speaking on Pure FM, Kankam Boadu opined that the NPP’s communication for the 2024 elections should have been led by Justin Frimpong Kodua, the party’s General Secretary, and Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, the current Minister of Works and Housing.
He advances the viewpoint that the ability of these two personalities to communicate in ways acceptable to the masses would have enhanced the NPP’s chances of winning the elections.
He warned against blaming the party’s national executives for the defeat, noting that the NPP would have won the elections but for the actions and inactions of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
“One of the most gentle people, whom I believe should have been at the forefront of their campaign, are Justin Kodua and Kojo Oppong Nkrumah. Oppong Nkrumah is a great communicator. They have other great communicators, but some of them infuriate Ghanaians with their statements.
“Oppong Nkrumah has a very nice way of talking to the people. They should empower the likes of Justin Kodua, who resonates with the youth, and accept that Akufo-Addo was the one who cost them the elections,” he said.
Kankam Boadu also explained that the economic challenges, coupled with the arrogance of President Akufo-Addo, meant that Ghanaians rejected the message of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia even though he had solid promises for the country.
“The biggest blame should be placed at the doorstep of Akufo-Addo, who disrespected Ghanaians after begging them to vote for him. Ghanaians used their votes to demonstrate to Akufo-Addo that you can’t disrespect us. Akufo-Addo is the one to be blamed, not anyone else.
“Akufo-Addo begged Ghanaians to show him power and then turned around to disrespect them. The people of Kwabre East, who voted massively for him, begged him to do their roads, only for him to dismiss them, saying they cannot threaten him. He had forgotten that four years earlier, he was begging the same people for votes.
“He went to another constituency and told them he did not undertake any project there because they did not vote for him. You see how the numbers in Kwabre came down. When things are bad, it does not matter how much noise you make or how many people you talk to, you will still lose,” he said.
The 2024 general election results
In the 2024 presidential race, former President Mahama, who was the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, won the race according to the results declared by the Electoral Commission. He beat 12 other candidates with 56.55% of the total valid votes.
His closest contender, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the ruling New Patriotic Party, obtained 41.61% of the total valid votes cast.
The NDC has claimed more than a two-thirds majority of the results already declared in the parliamentary race, having won over 180 seats out of 276 available for grabs.
EK
