Bla Elik on the Line for Round Two - 201

2257hrs December 27, 2008

THE BEGINNING OF THE BEGINNING AND, FOR SOME, OF THE END

what a feeling.!!!

By this time tomorrow night, we would probably have results from about 20 constituencies to begin to see the emerging picture of Ghana's second round of the Presidential election contest between NPP's Nana Akufo-Addo and NDC's Professor Atta Mills.

clearly everybody is tensed up.. we have seen and heard of a few verbal pitches about plots and counter-plots of mischief and more than an equal number of denials from the opposite quarters. we have seen an avalanche of political endorsements at the higher levels, and denials and un-endorsements from the lower levels and regions. It is clear that the people cannot sit in Accra and dictate to their following that "our party has endorsed ...." and expect to go scot free of criticism or praise.

Indeed, as we head into tomorrow morning 0700hrs when voting starts, some people have said that some of the endorsements have been political dud cheques (boy, I like that phrase!!!). I am not sure they matter at all. I think the electorate is pretty much made up of those for or against (whichever way you look at it!!). No one seems to be on the fence now at all.. indeed, there are more motivated voters now than there were in the first round on December 7th.

we have a proverb that says that, if you don't contribute to the decision, you allow fools to rule you. 'this is one election that ONE vote will make a difference.. never mind that the great statisticians have said that 50%+1 is an invalid number and that all we have to say is that the person who gets more than 50% could have taken the cup of state on December 7th.. now it is first past the tape (by ONE!!!!!!) what ever happens if you beat the opponent by one - what percentage will that be? I will prove the theorem tomorrow, if I get my fingers dipped into the motivational ink before I respect my thumbs decision on the ballot paper.

Accra is definitely poised. and believe me, everybody who has a vote somewhere is on a vehicle out of town.. come and see Achimota this afternoon, cars and buses (of all sizes and condition) of all the boys from Kokompe, dog chain sellers, shoe shine boys, civil servants.. on the way to vote, they are!!!!! certainly, we probably record one of the highest voter turnouts that we have seen for a looooooong time. who can fault that? I only pray that people do go to their villages and towns or places of residence to vote. because, the level of vigilance is very and will most
definitely be super-high.

would it be Nana-o ( we are moving forward!!! the best man for Ghana, believe in Ghana) or Agya Atta (Yeresesamu, we are changing for a better man for a better Ghana)????? you will have to watch what your thumb will do tomorrow.. don't make a mistake.... make sure you vote for the person you WANT to vote for. keep any and I mean any spec off the ballot paper to minimise the spoilt ballots at your polling station.

tomorrow history will be made, either to give NPP a continuation mandate or to give NDC a come-back welcome to the Presidency of Ghana. Everybody has an opinion. each party has, in addition to their expressed media opinion, also got a reason for wanting so badly to be given the mandate to rule Ghana. Maybe we know, Maybe we don't know. either way, if its Nana who wins, NDC will be mauled badly and that would probably the end of Prof Mills' political career at the headship of NDC despite NDC's strong parliamentary showing on Dec 7th. If on the other hand, its Agya Atta who wins, it would be the first time that the developmental achievements of
an incumbent Government has not mattered at all.. it would give the impetus to NPP to review its strategy and make it go back to the drawing board to find out that whether you are an incumbent or not, you must campaign as if you are in the opposition and come up with a message that convinces people.. because Ghana Voter don mature now!!!!

The above is really the reason for the extreme excitement that I sense tonight. the thril of a nail biting election, that will keep people sitting on thorns all night tomorrow.. nana leading by 200, mills leading by 210, nana take 12000 lead, mills narrows with a 11000 win in xx constituency.. we shall have a tom and jerry nite tomorrow..

I am sure Chairman Mao will bring some dead cows and hens to some place for us to maintain a holy gardens vigil tomorrow

Ghana is truly sweet.. I pity those of you without a vote to cast tomorrow.

Merry Christmas, belated as it is.

very sincerely yours

Bla Elik