Features
Former Prez Mahama: A ‘bitter loser’ and ‘itinerant deceiver’?
Readers, according to Wikipedia, a ‘bitter loser’ is a person who becomes very upset or angry when he or she loses a game or a contest.
Some political analysts, however, describe ‘an itinerant deceiver’ as a deceitful person who preaches the basic ‘political redemption message’ in a notorious manner, while travelling around to different groups of people; within a relatively short period of time.
John Mahama
• Mrs Jean Mensa Mac-Manu
Readers, gradually but steadily, many Ghanaian voters and political actors are increasingly becoming sophisticated with their understanding of the trending nature of our nation’s politics.
The ‘new sophistication’ of Ghanaian voters and political actors seems to be hugely influenced by the contents of the multiplicity of media networks in the country, particularly the social media.
And so, just recently, when former President John Dramani Mahama started his “Thank-You-Tour” in the country, many Ghanaian voters and political actors keenly ‘followed him’ with admixture of interests.
As the name implies, Mr Mahama’s ‘Thank-You-Tour’ was expected to be used to thank Ghanaians who voted for him and his NDC party during the December 7, 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.
This is against the backdrop that Mr Mahama lost the presidential election while his party also failed to win majority seats in Parliament.
Some political analysts, however, say the ‘Thank-You-Tour’ is just a ‘smokescreen platform’ for Mr Mahama to launch his 2024 presidential campaign, contending that, “he has ‘elected’ himself ahead of his own party, thus, breaking all the required selection protocols.”
In the various towns and cities across some of the 16 regions of the country, where he visited, Mr Mahama has reportedly made certain ‘outracious’ statements concerning Ghana’s December 2020 elections.
Indeed, some political watchers even claim that Mr Mahama’s utterances during his ‘Thank-You-Tour’, betray him as a ‘bitter loser’, an ‘itinerant deceiver’ and above all, ‘a notorious liar’ .
Readers, let us examine some of Mr Mahama’s alleged ‘Thank-You-Tour’ utterances.
Mr Mahama is reported to have said: “The military was used to influence and declare the December 7, 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.”
He is reported to have also stated: “The Electoral Commission thumb-printed one million ballot papers and stuffed ballot boxes to favour President Akufo-Addo and his New Patriotic Party.”
Again, he reportedly said: “But for a lot of scheming that took place, the NDC would have won the 2020 elections,” contending that” the polls were not credible, transparent, free and fair as the Electoral Commission claimed.”
Expectedly, the Electoral Commission has swiftly responded to Mr Mahama’s allegations; describing them as ‘palpable untrue’ and “an attempt to undermine the credibility of the electoral system.”
Responding to the allegations at a press conference in Accra on October 25, 2021, the Deputy Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr Eric Bossman Asare said; “at no point was the military used in the declaration of the 2020 election results.”
Dr Bossman Asare stated: “The election results declared by the Electoral Commission, were similar to the results announced by the media houses in the country…
“The media houses and other observers also picked their data right from the ground and the collation centres and the results were not different from what the Electoral Commission declared.”
Dr Bossman Asare added: “We urge the former President to provide evidence of the stuffing of ballot boxes by the Electoral Commission,” stressing that, “this is not a matter to be ignored.”
Mr Peter Mac-Manu, NPP’s Director of Elections, describes former President Mahama’s ballot stuffing claim as “bogus, spurious and loose talk.”
Speaking on Joy FM on October 25, 2021, Mr Mac-Manu stated: “If anybody understands the content of the pink sheets, you would know that it is impossible to dump thumb-printed ballot papers outside what the Electoral Commission brought to the polling stations,” adding that “people should not be talking loosely like that.”
Mr Ben Ephson, Managing Editor of The Daily Dispatch newspaper also says:”Stuffing of ballot boxes in Ghana’s current electoral dispensation cannot work,” stressing that , “Mr Mahama can go to court, if he has any evidence to that effect.”
Speaking on Morning Starr radio last Tuesday, Mr Ephson described Mr Mahama’s one million ballot printing and stuffing allegation as “baseless and reckless.”
Readers, remember? The ‘Thank-You-Tour’ utterances of former President Mahama are not new at all!!!
While waiting for the declaration of the 2020 election results, Mr Mahama said at a press conference in Accra that: “We have won 140 parliamentary seats and what else do we expect?”
He stressed: “I am happy Ghanaians have rejected the Akufo-Addo government,” and asked his NDC supporters to take to the streets and jubilate.
Additionally, Mr Mahama stated: “The Akufo-Addo government is using the military to change the results of the elections,” contending that, “the Electoral Commission is also attempting to change the election results to favour Akufo-Addo and his NPP but we will not allow them to steal the elections.”
Indeed, after the declaration of the presidential results, Mr Mahama and the NDC roundly rejected the results , claiming that the will of the people had been subverted and that “the proper verdict of the people has been stolen.”
So, readers, was it, therefore, not very strange to see Mr Mahama at the Supreme Court of Ghana, claiming that per the election figures declared by the Electoral Commission, none of the 12 presidential candidates obtained more than 50 per cent of the total valid votes cast, as required by our National Constitution ?
And strangely too, in his petition to the Supreme Court, Mr Mahama “deleted” his ‘stolen verdict’ chorus ; “the government using the military to change the results of the elections”; and “the Electoral Commission attempting to change the election results to favour Akufo-Addo.”
So, readers, without providing any evidence to support his claims; can we, therefore, agree with some Ghanaian political watchers; that Mr Mahama is now ‘a bitter loser’, ‘an itinerant deceiver’ and ‘a notorious liar’?
asmahfrankg@gmail.com (0505556179)
By G. Frank Asmah
THE typical itinerant salesman in Sikaman is a herbalist. He is normally a slim macho with the capacity to perambulate the expanse of area covering the triangle of Accra-Tema-Ashiaman. In short, he can walk a total of 60 miles a day, marketing a product that cures every disease, including poverty. 
The door-to-door herbal pharmacist advertises his product by word of mouth. He has nothing to do with the Food and Drugs Board (FDB). After all, his concoctions do not feature on FM stations.
Those herbalists who cannot walk to propagate the herbal gospel, liaise with drivers of mass transportation and their mates. They are, therefore, given the chance to sell their products on Benz buses that ply the routes.
Normally, the herbalist starts his sales message with a prayer and Bible study. He asks the passengers to bow down their heads in supplication to God the father, the son, the Holy Spirit.
When a herbalist asks the passengers to close their eyes and bow their heads, Moslems on board naturally feel offended. They feel that the herbalist has no right to assume that every passenger is a Christian. They think such an assumption is an affront to Islam.
So a Moslem on board will raise the hand for a point of order. He’ll remind the herbalist that it would be in his own interest to mind his language.
“Be careful the way you address people in a public place. Not every person here is a Christian,” he’d state assertively.
Of course, the herbalist will promptly ignore him, but would all the same “watch” his tongue. Who knows whether or not the Moslem brother is inspired by Quoranic zeal to defend the tenets of Islam to the hilt?
When he starts saying, “Wallahi!” and “Inshallah!” it could be the beginning of proclaiming Islam as supreme, a point which must be driven home with talibanic precision.
So the herbalist must tread carefully lest he steps on fire.
The herbalist could even add a measure of mirth to it all, by announcing that Christians on board today have very interesting company on the journey, but that should not detract from the business of the day.
The Moslem brother will weigh the words carefully and offer a wry smile.
He must be careful the occasion does not degenerate into the use of semantics and proverbial oration to deride his conviction that public utterances must be mindful of religious sensibilities. He has made his point very clear and expects that it is taken in good faith in the interest of a peaceful journey.
The herbalist will now open the New Testament and preach salvation, stating clearly that salvation can come only through Jesus Christ and NOBODY else.
The Moslem brother will now start twitching his moustache. The visible and almost revolutionary reflexes of his upper lip can be an indication that sentiments have begun superseding reason, and the outcome could well be tragic now shift uneasily in his seat.
The time has come for him to also express his right to the religion of his fore-bears. He’ll put his hand into his pocket and rise to his feet. The time has indeed come!
This article was first published on Saturday, September 9, 2006
When the cause of a particular problem like sickness, disease, sudden illness, a social issue etc. are not known, it stands to reason that resolving it becomes a huge challenge.
Citizens would understand the government when public announcements are made to the effect that government is trying to find a solution to the issue, even though it is taking a while for it to be resolved because citizens are rational beings.
On the other hand, if the solution to a particular issue is known to everybody but the government for whatever reason, is dragging its feet in resolving it, citizens become frustrated and begin to lose trust in their leaders.
One such issue is the heavy traffic along a section of the Kasoa – Odokor road. A short stretch of bad road between the traffic light at the Weija Government Hospital and the entrance to the entrance of the overhead that leads to the N1, is the cause of the problem but nothing is being done about it, day after day, week after week, month after month. Thus is clearly unacceptable.
Another issue that requires urgent attention is the lack of pavements along a lot of streets in parts of the various Municipal Assemblies. Exercise is a prerequisite for long life and healthy living and for those of us who it has become a way of life, this issue of people putting up structures right to the edge of the drains beside the roads, are making life difficult for us.
We are compelled to walk along the roads, putting our lives at serious risk. Pedestrians should never be compelled to compete with vehicles on our streets and roads. Roads and streets are made for vehicles and pavements are made for pedestrians. That is the norm. Any attempt to normalise a situation where pedestrians are mingling with vehicles is insanity.
It is the road regulations that makes it so and therefore district or municipal assemblies are to take responsibility and ensure that spaces for pavements are not encroached upon. Citizens have rights that must be protected by their leaders and making pavements available to pedestrians, is one of them.
When we hear of teachers having sex with students, it appears it is something recent. It is not a new phenomenon. It has been there since Adam. Perhaps this issue is getting much attention due to the proliferation of social media. It was an open secret in times past when Teachers were in relationships with female students and some married them immediately after completion of school.
Some teachers were also known to be having unholy interactions with female pupils but due to the times that these acts occurred, human rights issues and the awareness around it, allowed such unscrupulous teachers to get away with their crimes.
Now we are in a different era and so a Headmaster is now in hot waters. He is alleged to have raped about 19 female students and as usual, some officials tried to cover it up and are also in hot waters and their actions or inactions in the matter are under investigation.
Why the man has been allowed to roam freely without being arrested is simply mind boggling. It appears that the law applies differently, depending on who you are. This issue came to public attention sometime in August this year, yet the police had not arrested or invited this man for question regarding the rape allegation.
It has come out that he is a Constituency Secretary of the ruling party and the question in the public domain is that, is it because he is a political figure that is why he is still walking around without questioning? I believe in the rule of law so let us hold our breadth and let the proper thing be done.
The police must however be seen to be active in this matter. God bless.
SKIP THE QUEUE, TAP THE NEWS
You can now read the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers from the comfort of your device via TimesNewsPlus.
Join our WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
