Central Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs has said the party’s defeat in the 2016 general elections came to them as a shock.
In his view, no one in the NDC anticipated defeat given the numerous infrastructural projects that were executed by the Mahama-led administration.
Even more surprising was losing 16 Parliamentary seats in the Central region where the party had worked tirelessly and was certain about recording massive victory in the region.
“The 2016 election defeat was a sad day for the NDC; it was very difficult for me when at 2:00am I realized I had lost 16 seats in the Central region. It was very pathetic,” he bemoaned on Adom FM’s Morning Show, ‘Dwaso Nsem’ on Thursday.
Ghana went to the polls exactly a year ago today and elected Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the 5th President of the 4th Republic.
“Nana Addo polled 5,716,026 valid votes to beat incumbent President John Mahama who managed 4,713, 277”, Electoral Commission Chairperson, Charlotte Osei announced after the polls.
Nana Akufo-Addo recorded 53.85% of the total votes cast as against 44.40% recorded by then incumbent President Mahama.
The weight of the defeat sent shivers down the spines of the many NDC members especially then government officials who were certain of an NDC victory.
A year down the lane, the Central Regional Chairman of the NDC, Bernard Allotey Jacobs the leadership of the party in the region are still shocked by the outcome of the polls.
Though it was sudden and unexpected, Allotey insists they have had to accept it in good faith as according to him, ‘defeat is part of the political game.’
“NPP had a similar experience in 2000, but the magnitude of the [NDC] defeat in 2016 was massive,” he added.
This notwithstanding, the Central Regional NDC Chairman said they are re-organizing the grassroots to recapture power in 2020.
“Had I known is always at last; we have learned our lessons and we are working hard to win election 2020,” he promised.
Ghana/Adomonline.com/Adwoa Gyasiwaa Agyeman
NDC's defeat in 2016 election was like 'rapture' – Allotey Jacobs
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