How Mahama intelligently tricked the NPP into abandoning its stronghold

There is an interesting phenomenon in electoral politics it’s referred to as a “base” or “strongholds” which basically describes an electoral territory in which a party or faction enjoys solid support. Strongholds have varied characteristics for example they can be defined by geography for example rural or urban. A political party’s stronghold can also be described by class e.g. working class, middle class or peasants. Other further classifications include ethnicity, tribe, gender, age among other nuances.

Since 1992, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has had the Ashanti and the Eastern regions as its stronghold, and has consistently had its flagbearers from these two regions, this has further stimulated the party’s fortunes and support in the two regions. Common sense and logic suggests that, the NPP will continue doing what it has been doing since 1992 in order to firmly consolidate this base.

However, former President Mahama set a trap for the elephant fraternity by insinuating that, the NPP was only exploiting Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for its benefits and would abandon him for an Akan person as it did to late former Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama. It would not have been discrimination towards Dr. Bawumia, had the NPP stuck with its convention and elected someone from its stronghold, because that has been all political parties’ means of winning power, it is called “consolidating your base”.

Former President Mahama knew what he was doing, he planned it perfectly and the execution was masterclass, he made it sound like he was mocking the NPP and Bawumia, but it was a trap which the NPP has naively fallen into, thereby making a rudimentary but gargantuan political blunder. If the NPP were smart enough to avoid the blunder, and settled on someone from their stronghold, the NDC and John Mahama would have claimed vindication and said “we told you so”, the NPP Didn’t want this to happen. The NPP was either naive or gullible or was between the devil and the red sea, I believe they were naive and gullible, a political party as big as the NPP should have known better, but the party shot itself in the foot.

In their desire to prove Mr. Mahama wrong, the NPP did the unthinkable and abandoned a well-established political convention that has been working perfectly for them since 1992. They overlooked all the competent, experienced and charismatic longstanding members of the party from their stronghold and voted for a complete outsider who has absolute no nexus to the party’s strongholds and lacks with and grit in the party, he is a complete novice in terms of the traditions of the party.

It beggars belief how the NPP overlooked the likes of Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Alan Keremanten, Kwabena Adjei Agyapong, Hon. Francis Addai-Nimo, Owusu Afriyie Akoto etc. who were born and bred from homes that have the United Party tradition, for an outsider like Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Failure to grasp your stronghold can only lead to ruin and of course political collapse. Currently, it suffice to say that, the NPP has regretted making this choice, but John Mahama and the NDC must be jubilating, because have pulled off one of the smartest political masterstroke against their opponents. All credible polls both international and local indicates that, Dr. Bawumia is trailing Mr. Mahama, he is unpopular in the NPP’s strongholds of Ashanti and Eastern regions. Strongholds are so precious and every serious political party will guard and consolidate it religiously and jealously.

Of interest in strongholds, is understanding the voting patterns of electorates. For example, why does a well-educated and well-meaning resident of Bantama continuously elect corrupt, inept and often clueless Members of Parliament from the NPP when there are competent and qualified candidates from other political parties? What benefit has a voter in the dusty streets of Ketu obtained over the last 30 years of voting for the NDC?

Indeed, what benefit does a poverty stricken villager in Akyease gain from voting for the NPP every election even though its government has ruined his life through policies that impoverish the citizenry? Why does a cocoa farmer in the Ashanti region continue to stick with the NPP whose policies rob him off the free fertiliser he got from the NDC?

The answer to all the above questions lies in the power of stronghold, it is the most important step towards winning or retaining power. No political party has ever and can ever win an election with a disjointed and fragmented stronghold, you need to consolidate it first before thinking about floating voters. Some voters from a specific geographical areas are inclined to vote for a particular political party due to historical reasons and the characteristics of the personalities the party presents, such as ethnicity and religion.

This indicate that, every political party has a base, and the most rational thing to do is to consolidate your base irrespective of what your opponent says.