National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer hopeful, Goosie Tanoh has rejected assertions that Nana Akufo-Addo and his New Patriotic Party (NPP) won the 2016 general elections on a foundation of lies.

In his analysis, the NDC lost touch with the party’s grassroots and failed to follow the party structures, something that he said made the party look unattractive to many Ghanaians, especially floating voters.

“We lost massively in 2016 not because anybody lied to the Ghanaian people; the Ghanaian people are too sophisticated to be taken in by lies,” he told delegates and scores of party supporters at Cape Coast Saturday as part of his tour to the Central Region.

Mr. Tanoh who picked his nomination form Saturday to contest the NDC primary said his party lost the last elections because it was “simply not palatable in 2016”


He argued the NDC could win the 2020 election if it did the right thing, saying “if we do the right thing correctly because we’re being watched by the people.

“If we change our faces, we change our character, we have real plans, support those plans with resource mobilisation that is spelt out clearly and we indicate the kind of people who will serve the country I’m sure we will have a change,” he added.

The international businessman also underscored the need for the NDC to demonstrate that it believes in real internal democracy in order to earn the trust of Ghanaians in believing the party can lead the country.

Mr. Tanoh observed the NDC which was was formed on principles of social democracy has over the years deviated from that very principle.

Commenting on the controversial filing fees which attracted lot of public outcry, he said it will take someone about 130 years to be able to pay the 400,000-cedi fee using the current minimum wage which is 9.20 pesewas.



He said as a founding member of the party, he has what it takes to lead the party to win back power from the NPP, hence urged the party members to be bold and reject persons who attempt to influence the impending presidential primary with money or any other foul means.