A leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor Michael Kpessa-Whyte, has publicly admitted that the main opposition party misled Ghanaians when it claimed poor collation system at the Electoral Commission (EC) headquarters, ‘the Strongroom’, was largely to be blamed for its defeat in the 2020 general election.
Prof. Kpessa-Whyte who is also a senior lecturer at the Political Science Department of the University, said elections are not won or lost in the EC’s strongroom as his party erroneously portrayed in the last elections when it filed presidential election petition about two years ago.
In a post to congratulate newly appointed officers of the NDC, the university lecturer said it will be delusional on the part of the party’s rank and file to think that the NDC lost the 2020 election because of the actions and in-actions of the EC or its chairperson, Mrs Jean Mensa.
He reiterated that elections are won or lost at the polling centres.
It will be recalled that National Chairman of NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia, had earlier confessed that even though they knew the NDC lost the 2020 General Election on fairgrounds and therefore did not have any cause of action, they still went ahead to deceive their supporters and lie to the Ghanaian people that the election was rigged, and petitioned the Supreme Court under false pretences.
Prof. Kpessa-Whyte was one of three witnesses who testified at the Supreme Court in 2021, in support of the election petition filed by the defeated presidential candidate of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama.
In the petition, the NDC accused the EC and its chairperson Mrs Mensa of being the cause of their defeat.
However, in what is seen as a confession after a wasted time at the apex court, the NDC bigwig said, “I opt to address this publicly because many have deluded themselves on account of the subject matter in a manner that is not helpful for our party.
“Indeed, if our party, the NDC is truly desirous to win 2024, it would make sense for party officials and members to eliminate the delusion that elections are won from the EC strong room, and that we lost 2020 from the EC strongroom. Elections are won and lost at the polling stations.
“How can a party that has admitted that it was unable to collate its 2020 results claim it lost from the strongroom?
“Which result did the party give to its agents in the strongroom? Why hasn’t the party put out its results if indeed there was one?
“What is there to gain from deluding ourselves into another defeat? God forbids! Let’s own up to our collective mistakes and errors and stop the blame game. There is nothing to gain from self-delusion.
“We must be truthful to ourselves. If we are serious about rescuing Ghana, then let’s stop trying to hide our collective negligence by blaming people who otherwise were sacrificing on the frontline for our cause.”
NDC failures
Speaking to happenings in the NDC before, during and after the 2020 elections, Prof. Kpessa-Whyte said he recalled in those days in the EC strongroom, that “out of concern and worry that results from our party (NDC) was not reaching us, I placed a message on one of the key NDC platforms to ask for help, I was immediately advised to delete the message because it may fall in the hands of the NPP, and they will get to know we had a problem”.
He said this advice got him thinking why on an internal party platform, they cannot trust each other which made him wonder if they are truly serious for victory.”
According to him, the NDC collation system collapsed and yet nobody was candid enough to inform those of them in the EC strongroom.
“Not knowing that at the time, the party’s results collation system had broken down, yet nobody even cared enough to inform us, but everyone was hoping we could bring victory. How unrealistic and pathetic can we be?
“After careful reflections, I have come to what is perhaps a belated conclusion, that continuous silence on such important issues might amount to doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result; and I see this time of new officers picking up the mantle in crucial positions and roles in our party, as probably the best time to start these conversations.
“So, this piece is based on, and guided by the best of intensions, hoping that it will prompt some collective self-introspection and rude awakening across various levels of the party in our quest for victor in 2024.
“Indeed, if our party, the NDC is truly desirous to win 2024, it would make sense for party officials and members to eliminate the delusion that elections are won from the EC strong room, and that we lost 2020 from the EC strongroom. Elections are won and lost at the polling stations,” Professor Kpessa-Whyte stated.
