Former Ghana High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and Ireland, Victor Smith has said the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) defeat was shocking but not surprising.
According to him, he thought the massive infrastructural development by the erstwhile Mahama-led administration would have cancelled the negatives but the opposite happened in the 2016 general elections.
Former President John Mahama became the first incumbent President to lose an election since Ghana returned to multi-party democracy in 1992.
His party performed abysmally in the last year’s election polling 44.4 percent of valid votes cast.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) led by then candidate Nana Akufo-Addo polled 53.85 percent of the valid votes cast to become Ghana’s fifth President of the Fourth Republic.
Many of the leading members of the NDC were shocked at the gargantuan defeat after running the most expensive electioneering campaign to retain John Mahama in power.
Majority of the party members have blamed the current leadership and are calling for a total overhaul for new leadership for a formidable party ahead of the 202 general elections.
In support, Victory Smith on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme Friday said they, NDC shot itself in the foot.
He indicated that, after coming back to power in 2000, he thought the NDC had learnt from its past mistakes which would keep them in power forever but the contrary happened.
He cited the branding of the Mahama-led government as corrupt by the opposition NPP as a major factor for their defeat.
Going forward, Victor Smith called for fresh leadership to correct the wrongs and also present a “repacked” John Mahama to win the 2020 elections.
He is convinced for the NDC to return to power, former President John Mahama is the party’s best bet.
Should Mr. Mahama decide not to lead the NDC in the 2020 elections, Mr. Smith believes a more affordable and charismatic leader is needed to enable NDC come back to power.
