EIU report just an 'opinion' - Kabila

Acting General Secretary of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), James Kwabena Bomfeh Jnr., affectionately called Kabila, has pooh-poohed on a recent report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), which indicates ex-President John Mahama would suffer another electoral defeat next year because most electorates associate him with the economic malaise the country encountered during his term.

The report released on Friday, 13 September 2019, said the NPP and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will win the 2020 election because Ghanaians see them as better custodians of the economy.

“The campaign for the 2016 election was dominated by the faltering economy, which many Ghanaians still associate with Mr Mahama. As a result, The Economist Intelligence Unit believes that it will be difficult for the NDC under Mr Mahama to portray itself as the better custodian of Ghana’s economy, especially as the country’s growth outlook is fairly strong. We therefore expect Mr Akufo-Addo and the NPP to secure re-election in 2020. However, if the NDC can present a coherent opposition and hold the NPP to account on unfulfilled campaign promises -particularly on job creation and industrialisation, where progress has been generally slow and success patchy—the election could be closely contested,” portions of the forecast indicated.

However, Kabila, during a panel discussion on Peace FM morning show ‘Kokrokoo’, described the report as just ‘an opinion’.

According to him, “the report is not based on any research; it’s just an opinion. There were no polls or figures… It failed to appreciate the presence of other political parties”.

Meanwhile, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) seems to be ecstatic over the report but Kabila says the report is “not worth making conclusions on and it is even surprising people will base any form of discussion on it.”

Predictions

Kabila is also of the view that the EIU’s report is not cast in stone and that Ghanaians have the final say.

“There is a God factor; 2020 is not yet here…they have expressed their view but the most important aspect is what Ghanaians will say in 2020,” he added.