A Political Marketing Strategist and a lecturer at the University of Ghana Business School, Prof. Dr. Kobby Mensah has indicated that the massive turnup at the ‘Aduro Woso Walk’ by Alan Kyerematen is an indication that Alan is the peoples’ choice.
According to him, majority of observers were surprised at the number of supporters who came out for the ‘Aduro Woso Walk’, adding that the kind of attendance that was recorded for the walk was too massive as compared to what happened at the Kwahu Walk; which was party organized event.
Prof. Dr. Kobby Mensah was speaking in an exclusive interview when he mentioned that, though the ‘‘Aduro Woso Walk’ wasn’t really a top notch marketed event, to see ordinary Ghanaians turned up for the walk speaks much.
He averred that; comparing the two walks, it is obvious that the choice of the people is superseding the party’s own of a leader.
According to him, there are indications that the Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is the establishment candidate, but haven seen the kind of numbers coming out for Alan, would send shivers down the spines of the NPP.
Prof. Dr. Kobby Mensah said, “If indeed, Bawumia is the establishment candidate then I am sure he will be edgy of the numbers that turn out for the Allan’s walk.”
He however stressed that the party has a lot of work to do should they consider Bawumia as the establishment candidate because recent events have shown that the party wants a particular candidate whilst the masses also want a certain candidate.
“That should tell you, the party is indeed in for extra work,” he said.
Although he said, the Vice President hasn’t yet organised such similar walk, “if he did, we can look at the turn out and make an emphatic assessment. We shouldn’t also think that such a gathering is also an indicator. Because in the past, we have seen instances, people wore T-shirts of candidates and they ended up getting 3 votes.”
He said candidates who are pulling such huge crowd, must not be taken off-guard because that is not an indicator of their success, although symbolically, it speaks certain kind of language.
“We have to be cautions of that,” he said.
Commenting on the over one hundred Members of Parliament (MPs) who have declared their support for the Vice President, Prof. Dr. Kobby Mensah said strategically the Vice President probably might have done a good thing to formally inform his colleagues in parliament that he wants to contest.
“It was the right thing to do from his personal perspective, to explain to them why he thinks he is fit for that position,” he said, but pointing out that the aftermath of that declaration by the MPs might not help the party.
He noted that the Vice President must not be seen as coercive and to use that as a strategy to win support could spark controversies which have begun arising.
He also pointed out that the talks that the MPs can influence their followers to support their candidate for the flagbearership position is not always automatic.
He explained that the election of flagbearer is not only at the level of the MPs, but at the constituency and polling station levels as well, stressing that in that case the MPs cannot automatically be an influence on their people.
He said it is about time the people of Ghana have a say in who becomes a flagbearer of a particular political party rather than leaving that to Delegates.
“If delegates choose a wrong person, it automatically means that we will be ruled by a wrong person. But if we the citizens have a say it that process, and we feel that a certain candidate is not the right one, we need to make our voices heard and get the right person,” he said.
