The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has confidently stated that the party is aiming for a decisive one-touch victory in the upcoming December 7 election.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, the former MP, popularly known as General Mosquito, said the NDC is employing a range of strategies to secure a clear win without the need for a runoff.
“I strongly believe that the NDC is going to win hands down,” Asiedu Nketia stated, dismissing the notion that a change in candidates after a sitting president’s two-term tenure necessarily leads to a runoff.
He noted that the likelihood of a runoff is heavily influenced by the performance of the sitting president, rather than being an automatic consequence of a party change.
“We are looking at a one-touch victory, and it has a lot to do with the performance of the sitting president as well. It’s not just a straightforward thing that when there is a change of party, there is a runoff. It depends more on the performance of the sitting president, how well he has performed, or otherwise,” he explained.
While Asiedu Nketia acknowledged that the perceived underperformance of the Akufo-Addo government would play a significant role in the NDC’s campaign, he noted that it would not be the sole factor.
“The strength of our message of giving hope to a hopeless situation will also impact the campaign. And I think that all put together, we are likely to have a one-touch election victory,” he stated.
He further stated that merely relying on the government’s perceived failures is not enough as the NDC’s message and how it resonates with voters will be crucial.
Asiedu Nketia pointed out that the economic and social conditions in Ghana have deteriorated since President Akufo-Addo took office, and that Ghanaians themselves can see the difference compared to 2016.
“Nobody will answer that question for you. I don’t think it lies in the mouth of NDC alone to tell any Ghanaian that we are far worse off as a country now compared to what used to be the situation,” he said, adding that the situation speaks for itself.
Despite his confidence, Asiedu Nketia urged NDC supporters to remain vigilant and not become complacent.
“All the indications are that this government has failed, but the failure of that government alone cannot put us into power. Let us now bring a better, stronger message and sell it properly to the electorate. Make sure that when they deliver their intentions through voting, we are able to protect the votes until we are declared winners,” he advised.
Reflecting on his earlier warning against complacency, General Mosquito expressed satisfaction with the party’s current efforts.
He noted the increased vibrancy of the youth wing and the active involvement of former appointees and other party members in the campaign.
“Our youth wing has risen up, and they are very vibrant on the campaign scene. All our former appointees and others have come on board the campaign, and each of them is doing what it takes for us to win the elections,” he concluded.