In December 2023, I predicted what would happen to the NPP in the 2024 Elections and how they would struggle to get 100 seats in Parliament. These are the factors that caused Bawumia’s unprecedented defeat;
1. Personality: In every election a candidate’s personality has over 20% votes or Minus 20% votes. The 30% plus one vote that will make him or her a winner comes from so many factors. In this election, Bawumia’s Personality was dented by his own words and the works of the opposition party the NDC. Likewise in 2016 President John Mahama’s personality was dented and well destroyed by the Opposition New Patriotic Party. This Personality scrutiny works very well in political strategy. In this case, Bawumia’s Personality was seen as a dishonest person.
2. The ‘Liar’ Tag: What can you attach to your opponent to sell a negative related message about him? Indeed this Tag opened a big political gate about Bawumia for Ghanaians to scrutinise and monitor him very well. At a point, every Ghanaian came to realize that Bawumia was a liar christening him “Bawuliar”. In as much as the opposition called this name for him, Bawumia could not defend himself by his words and public statement and he was seen as a liar. A critical example was the Pwalugu dam case where At one Point Bawumia was heard saying it had been completed and at another point, he was seen asking people to vote for him to come and complete it. This is the true character of a lair.
3. Campaign Message: Bawumia campaigned like someone who was coming to lead A First Class Country like Japan, America, UK among other developed countries. At a time Ghana and Ghana statistical service reports revealed food insecurity Bawumia was talking about Digitalization. In contrast, his opponent was campaigning about what the people needed. Digitization is important but not the needs of Ghanaians.
4. Akuffo Addo Is Bawumia: It will be dangerous for the NPP to bring Bawumia into the 2028 Election because he represents Akuffo Addo. Frankly speaking, the face of Bawumia brings the Memory of Akufo Addo who disrespected Chief, who supervised the Unanimous Fc, among bad deeds that Ghanaians saw as shocking. The election practically was a referendum on Akuffo Addo and whoever Akuffo Addo worked with saw the Political hurricane that devastated the New Patriotic Party.
5. Switch of Responsibility: “The Ghana cedi is in tatters and the reason why I have brought Bawumia from Bank Of Ghana to fix it. Cedi ayɛ hatahata ɛno nti na M’kɔfa Bawumia aba sɛ ɔmɛyɛ yɛn sika nu yie ma yɛn” those who can read twi understands how this echoes in their minds. But what happened after Bawumia came, he ran away from the Economy to digitalization which was the work of the Communication Ministry. This became one of his big causes which he could never run from as a failed Economist.
6. The Opponent: Of Course, John Dramani Mahama caused Bawumia so much pain. Behind the scenes, Bawumia and the NPP wished for the NDC to bring new Candidates but in public they mocked Mahama. John Mahama over the years after the 2016 loss distinguished himself as an Honest, Consistent, Truthful, and Political figure who has gone through the mill to justify a million reasons why he is the right choice for Ghana. His work during his time was uncontestedly compared to Nana ADDO, his corruption fight was unmatched compared to Nana Addo, and his record in total could not be contested including managing the cedi as a communicator compared to Bawumia as an Economist.
7. Social Media Presence: Bawumia recently stated that the NDC-sponsored media caused him. Yes, I understand because it got to a point that journalists could no longer hide the truth and since all the traditional media is now operating through social media the youth become much more aware of the truth. The work of Kevin Taylor Through his Loud Silence Media can not be underrated by any researcher or political student.
Concluding on these seven key Points from my ten Cause of Bawumia Big Gab I can say that Ghanaians have moved from 19s Politics where Propaganda was a key to Global Politics where every word is subjected to scrutiny.
Have a merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year
By Asonaba Kwadwo Nomafo
Ghanaian Journalist and a Pollster in West Ham.y
