Security Analyst Paul Boateng has made a thought-provoking statement regarding the voting patterns in Ghana, stressing that Ghanaians never vote on competence.
In an interview on Happy 98.9 FM’s “Epa Hoa Daben” socio-political talk show with Bismack Brown, he emphasized that Ghanaians tend to base their voting decisions not on economic indicators but on tribal affiliations.
According to him, this trend has been consistent over the years, with tribal and ethnic backgrounds playing a significant role in winning votes.
“Our politics now is such a way that when a new gov’t comes in, whether a minister or any gov’t appointee, you’ll see how the traditional leaders go gaga. This shows that every Ghanaian wants the presidency or the government of the day to hail from their tribe,” he said.
He pointed out that the Ghanaian political landscape has evolved to the point where traditional leaders become enthusiastic when a new government is in power, highlighting the importance of tribal affiliations in politics.
He argued that every Ghanaian desires the presidency or government representation from their tribe, even though they are part of one nation. This phenomenon is not unique to Ghana but is a prevalent issue throughout Africa, with ethnicity being one of the continent’s most significant political flaws.
“Even though we are one country, for everyone to gain from it. This is not just an issue in Ghana, ethnicity is Africa’s biggest political flaw. Every tribe wants to fight the struggle to win power. That is how Dr. Bawumia won impressively in the Northern part of Ghana as Ken Agyapong also did well in some Akan regions,” he added.
In the context of these comments, it is essential to note the recent developments within the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The NPP’s General Secretary, Justin Frimpong Kodua, made a significant statement by asserting that the election of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the party’s flagbearer for the 2024 general election is evidence that the NPP is not an Akan-centric party. He further challenged the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to follow suit and diversify its leadership.
This declaration generated a significant buzz on social media, with many individuals questioning the background of the late President John Evans Atta-Mills about this argument. Dr. Bawumia’s victory as the NPP’s flagbearer was a result of a competitive primary election, where he defeated three other candidates, including the outspoken Assin Central MP, Kennedy Agyapong, former Minister for Agriculture Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, and former Mampong MP Francis Addai-Nimoh.
The certified results announced by the Deputy Commissioner of the Electoral Commission, Dr. Serebour Quaicoe, revealed that Dr. Bawumia secured 118,210 votes, representing 61.47% of the total votes, while his closest contender, Mr. Agyapong, garnered 71,996 votes, constituting 37.41% of the vote share.
Dr. Bawumia’s selection as the NPP’s flagbearer signifies a notable milestone in Ghana’s political history, as he becomes the first non-Akan to lead the NPP into a general election since the party’s inception in 1992.
