BY EDITORIAL TEAM
Last week, the NDC launched its manifesto. A week before that, the NPP launched theirs.
Just a day after the NDC launched their manifesto, the NPP held its maiden press encounter on the ticket of its flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
A point of argument that many raised was the closeness of the press encounter to the NDC’s manifesto launch, intently to take away the shine and publicity from the launch.
Another school of thought believes the NPP and Dr. Bawumia could have gotten much prominence with his press event if he had let some days pass, adding that the Vice President only succeeded in sharing the publicity “spoils” with the NDC and its flagbearer, John Mahama.
However one looks at it, from the viewpoint of political strategy, a do-what-works-for-you approach is what any serious political party, damning any consequences.
Party’s are set up mainly for the purpose of winning political power, and sometimes fair play rules may not be the best play strategy, provided no law has been broken.
Should the NDC have suspended their manifesto launch after the NPP also released communication they will be organising their media engagement some 24 hours after?
Should the NPP have waited to allow time and space for their candidate to maybe take a break from his tours and fully prepare to face the media?
They are questions, which I believe the parties themselves can answer considering the outcome and feedback from both undertakings.
Joyce Bawah Mogtari, John Mahama’s spokeswoman, argued in candour on an Accra-based TV that their campaign had planned launching their manifesto as far back as June this year. But then, as stated above, the political learning curve never ends. She registered her disappointment with the NPP for, as they say, “pouring sand in their gari.”
Maybe a few “what ifs” would have helped the timing situation of the umbrella party.
Accordingly, the NDC was forced to do a playback of the manifesto launch across various media earlier this week, which, according to The Sikaman Times figure, did not generate the spark as the party may have anticipated.
Indeed, questions have been raised about the essence of the youth manifesto launch. Was it a waste of time and resources? Was it not?
Critics also believe the party should hold its inaugural media encounter for the 2024 elections after the presentation of their manifesto.
However, the party says more of such encounters will take place in the coming weeks. Let’s see how it goes.
Manifesto launches
Proceedings during the NPP manifesto launch were okay. But it could have been better. Some of the supporting speakers were ill prepared; there were also TV production hitches, making one question the well-known professional inclinations of the elephant party.
The organising teams of the party may need to sit up considering how things fared and the unveiling of the party’s running mate, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, in Kumasi.
Key speakers, President Nana Akufo-Addo, Dr. Opoku Prempeh, and Dr. Bawumia, however, delivered powerfully in attempting to convince Ghanaians to renew their mandate.
The NDC had a much smoother turn of events generally in terms of the speakers for the event, seating and audience management, and TV production. Noticeably, the party has upped its creativity when it comes to event organisation.
This portal believes, however, that it was an overelaboration on the part of the NDC in selecting different speakers to reveal sections of the manifesto as they apply to various sectors. We are of the opinion that after all is said and done, flagbearer Mahama should have presented the manifesto by himself to attach belief to it. It is he who is seeking the mandate of Ghanaians.
The other speakers could make commentaries and clarifications on the manifesto on other platforms after the event. Nonetheless, Mr. Mahama, in his characteristic form, did not mince words in hitting at his opponents while spelling out his policies to the electorates.
Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman tried, in her quiet temperament, to mention how a future NDC government would positively impact women, although The Sikaman Times believe she could have touched on a lot more areas as a potential vice president of the Republic.
Media encounters
Apart from the display of needless showmanship by some of our media colleagues, the media encounters provided a platform for the two leading candidates to not only tell Ghanaians what they can do but demonstrate their ability to handle pressure.
Mr. Mahama held his some a month ago, while Dr. Bawumia just last week.
We reject claims that questions were prepared in advance for media by the candidates and their parties.
We are of the view both two leading candidates performed creditably well.
Criticisms against Dr. Bawumia’s delivery by some Ghanaians can be compensated for by his first-time experience of such an arrangement.
What both the Bawumia and Mahama campaigns failed at in organising their respective encounters was to select so many media personnel from a few media houses to the disadvantage of smaller media organisations.
The Sikaman Times is of the opinion that this approach is subject to abuse and does not bring out the best in the discourse. A better alternative was to select not more than two representatives from as many media houses as possible.
Concluding thoughts
It is important for political actors and activists in the main contending parties to avoid remarks like “your next president” and “your new president in January 2025” in describing their respective presidential candidates when Ghanaians are yet to vote.
This, we believe, is in the interest of peace during and after the December polls. It is important for them not to raise their hopes beyond measure.
While expressing confidence in the ability of their candidates to win, executives and supporters of political parties must stick to the rules of our electoral process.
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