Dec. 7, 2020
Ghanaians Go to the Polls for a Dull But Crisis-Free Election
J. Mahama and N. Akufo-Addo
(GIN) – It’s been called the dullest election in Africa. No violence, not blatant vote-rigging and no surprises.
But compared to the sound and fury in neighboring Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Mali, among others, Ghanaians are fortunate to expect a democratic exercise without drama – whether for the incumbent president, Nana Akufo-Addo of the center-right New Patriotic party or for his opponent, John Dramani Mahama, a former president from the opposition National Democratic Congress, or for one of the 10 other “dark horse” candidates on the ballot.
“If you look across the continent,” observed Chidi Odinkalu, senior manager for Africa at the Open Society Foundation, “this is the least dramatic and the most boring election – and that is an absolutely great story.”
“Nobody is like, ‘I’m not accepting it,’ 23-year old Mavis Nai told the Financial Times. “Here in Ghana, who wins wins.”
It’s also been called election déjà vu as it’s the third consecutive time that Mahama and Adufo-Addo compete against each other – the first contest was in 2012, the second was in 2016 and now 2020.
But the “boring” nature of this year’s vote could hide some troubling signs on the horizon in this West African nation. Money in politics, for one, and the lack of meaningful campaign finance laws, for another.
Youth unemployment, security concerns and effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economy are among the top issues Ghanaians will consider when voting.
“Ghana’s democracy looks better than it actually is,” remarked Wunpini Fatimata Mohammed, assistant professor in global media industries at the University of Georgia, in a press interview. “When we talk about democracy, it should not be limited to holding peaceful elections but how the most marginalized in society benefit,” she said.
One issue that has drawn few comments is the presence of a growing separatist movement in an area called Western Togoland.
In September, the Western Togoland Restoration Front staged violent attacks for the first time in the history of the separatist movement – mounting roadblocks, attacking a police station, seizing weapons and burning down a bus terminal.
Meanwhile, some campaign sloganeering may be familiar to observers of U.S. politics. In a recent BBC Pidgin interview, Mr Mahama claimed that an ailing economy, a power crisis that he resolved a little too late, and "fake news from opposition's social media troll factory" led to his defeat four years ago.
And President Akufo-Addo got some pushback for congratulating Alassane Ouattara in his recent victory. Nii Adjetey Cleland tweeted: “Our democratic president is congratulating someone who had to change the rules of democracy to stay in power. Well done.”
Whatever happens, there will not be a fourth face-off between the two men - whoever wins will be ruled out of future elections after serving two terms.