#ghelections

Handing over to Akufo-Addo-led government starts today

The outgoing John Mahama-led administration will Wednesday morning present its handing over notes containing details about the state of the nation to the incoming New Patriotic Party (NPP) government. The Transition Team, jointly inaugurated by President Mahama and president-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo, is expected to sit for six weeks from Wednesday. The meeting will afford the incoming government…

One side story that tickles our Romantic instinct is Ama Sey’s victory over Baba Jamal. It’s classic political David versus Goliath: the former a “mere hairdresser” and the latter, a political heavy-weight.

Feminists will read a pro-woman narrative into the facts on a ground: the proud man was unseated by his brave, female challenger. Some might even use this as a case in point to suggest women can too be “equal participants” in politics. Political satirists and tabloids will definitely spice their pieces with this story too. This is good material for many people.

For someone on the outside of Ghanaian politics, and a habitual apathetic observer, I missed out on a lot of the campaign popcorn. This news hits me without much context other than the second-hand facts I am sharing. From what I hear, Jamal was entirely dismissive of his inexperienced opponent. If experience teaches us anything, the odds are mostly in the underdog’s favour .

As one who badly wanted to see a President Akuffo-Addo since 2008, this is icing on the cake. It is also a reversal of the 2008 fortunes of my favourite politician at the moment (Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah is on his way!) who found himself on the incumbent side with all its guns out, only to be defeated by the twice-defeated (and now late) Atta-Mills.

2016 has been a grand year for me in politics. The spokes were thrown in the wheels of the global left with Brexit, followed by Trump. Now, at home, NDC bigwigs get a righteous beating and Akuffo-Addo is on his way to his first term as President of our republic.