To Debate Or Not To Debate- The Mahama Challenge

Currently occupying the national space on political discussions is the challenge thrown by the NDC flagbearer, former President John Mahama (JM), to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for a debate on infrastructure and their records.

Some sections of the Ghanaian society support it while others do not. But let me say that this challenge thrown to Nana Addo by JM raises more questions than answers- ala Johnny Nash. Need I call the former President by the Name JM 'Gnash' because he has been 'weeping and gnashing his teeth' all over the places like the 'babies with sharp teeth' that the NDC raised up and unleashed unto the national political scene; gnashing his teeth and insulting everybody in sight.

On the 20th of March, 2018 (source: Ultimate FM) JM called the Clergy, Journalists and Chiefs hypocrites whilst addressing an NDC gathering in the United Kingdom. Mahama repeated this insult on the 28th of September, 2020 when addressing the Chiefs and people of Jinijini in the Berekum West constituency of the Bono Region. And if calling such groups of people hypocrites is not an insult then I don't know what an insult is. Armed with an acid tongue and sharp teeth, JM has been struggling from pillar to post on his campaign trail, spewing out invectives and making one controversial statement after another in a manner that bespeak of a confused man. And it is in this confused state that Mahama called for a debate with Nana Addo.

Question number 1. From where did Mahama get the Moral courage to call for this debate?

Here is a man whom citizen vigilante and Special Prosecutor Mr Martin Amidu has said that the late President Atta-Mills formed a committee to investigate his involvement in the purchase of aircrafts from Brazil. That it was certain NDC 'apparatchiks' who impressed upon the late President to stop investigating his own Vice-President.

2. People have raised questions on the circumstances surrounding the death of President Mills.

3. Another question on Mahama's integrity is raised by the Ford Expedition bribery scandal involving the Burkinabe businessman who won a road contract and did a shoddy work.

4. Everything points to JM as the 'highly elected government official one' in the Airbus bribery saga.

5. Not to forget about 'slay queens' fighting over Mahama on social media. And let nobody deceive Ghanaians on this; it was Gloria Kani herself who blew Mahama's cover on YouTube.

6. His insult on Asantes as ungrateful people who will not appreciate it even if their streets were paved with gold.

7. Mismanaging the Ghanaian economy and running it into the hands of the IMF for a bail out.

8. Mahama's 'dumsor' record.
9. Handing over a huge national asset like the Nyinahin bauxite deposits, worth billions of dollars, into the hands of his brother Ibrahim.

And with so many other scandals which ravaged his Presidency, what dignity or honour is left of Mahama as a leader that gives him the moral courage to call for a debate with President Nana Addo who has distinguished himself as a leader not only admired in Ghana but beyond our frontiers.

Mahama describes himself in his own book 'My first coup d'etat' as somebody who is indecisive. An indecisive person isn't strong in his decisions, changes his mind a lot and is described as being 'fickle.' No wonder JM can ban okada as a President and then in another breath raise a national debate by promising to legalize it if he wins power. Mahama as President can spend time and millions of cedis on adverts to denigrate a policy like Free SHS and yet promise to continue with it if he wins power. Here is a man who doesn't seem to stand for anything.

So why does he want to be a leader when leadership is all about decision making? That Mahama became the President of Ghana will forever remain an aberration on the history of this nation.

Bereft of any honour as a leader, JM is calling for a debate with an honourable and distinguished President like Nana Addo. By this Mahama is seeking to sit on the same platform with Nana Addo so that Mahama will have the opportunity to start recovering his lost honour and dignity as a leader. That is what all this call for a debate is about. Because really what good record does Mahama have as a leader? In any case, this call for a debate is in sharp contrast to what Mahama said during the 2008 electioneering campaign. Back then Mahama made two significant statements which, based on what he says now, attest to his fickle nature.

1. That it is an exercise in mediocrity if a government calls on its citizens to vote for it because of infrastructural projects it has done.

2. Anybody who votes for a government because of infrastructural projects is weak minded.

Matthew 12:37says, “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Here Mahama's own words condemn him. It means:
1. Mahama's call for this debate on infrastructure is an exercise in mediocrity.

2. Mahama is weak minded, period.
Over and above these, the dynamics in this year's election have been made clear by Nana Addo. That this is the first time in Ghana that the two main contenders, Nana Addo and Mahama, have ruled this nation before. Anybody who overlooks this will never have a full grasp of the determinants defining this election.THIS ELECTION IS ABOUT YOUR WORKS AND NOTHING ELSE.

The two people have had occasion in the past to tell Ghanaians what they would do if they were voted into power. The question is what did each one of them do with the power that was entrusted into their care in the past. NOTHING TESTS CHARACTER LIE THE POSSESSION OF POWER! What a person says and what he does reveals his character and his motives.

The way Mr Mahama handled his Presidency revealed an uncompassionate, selfish, immoral, deceptive and incompetent leader. When Ghanaians were suffering and were calling for help Mahama was so insensitive as to describe himself as “a dead goat” who won't listen to anybody. On another occasion he said he was not a magician to provide jobs for the people. Has he all of a sudden 'transmogrified' himself into a magician to provide one million jobs? But that's Mahama for you. He has become a walking talking machine promising heaven but only gearing up to deliver hell to us. If he had the wherewithal to do this why couldn't he show us even a glimpse of this in his first term. Nana Addo on the other hand has delivered on most of his promises, revealing a compassionate and competent leader who cares about the welfare of the people he leads.

Should the road to the most important office in Ghana be reduced to the talking shop of a mere debate when the works of the two main contenders present a better form of assessment?

Matthew 5:16says, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Nana Addo and Mr Mahama, let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and vote for you. BECAUSE TALK IS CHEAP!

Revelation 20:12 says we will be judged according to our works.

In this 2020 elections let Nana Addo and Mahama be judged according to their works. Divine Providence has given us a better way of judging them than a mere talking shop of a debate. Once again I say 'talk is cheap.'

From the foregoing, Mahama's call for this debate can aptly be described as an undignified and unnecessary call. If he accepts it then Nana Addo has dignified an undignified call. My advice is that Nana Addo should treat this challenge with the contempt it deserves.

By Akwasi Adusei, Kumasi