Joyce Bawah Mogtari, special aide to National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama, has strongly criticized Nana Akomea for his reaction to Mahama’s recent comment, "This election is about the economy, stupid."

Bawah Mogtari, addressing Akomea’s remarks, noted that Akomea—who serves as Deputy Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign team—knows that Mahama’s statement was not intended as an insult.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, November 2, 2024, Bawah Mogtari clarified that “this election is about the economy, stupid” is a well-known figure of speech, not an attack.

“Communication 101: Just watched Nana Akomea ranting on Good Morning Ghana yesterday about the figure of speech John Mahama used a few days ago. Ignore his rants; he is being totally disingenuous, and he knows that.

“‘This election is about the economy, stupid’; this is not an insult,” Bawah Mogtari stated.

As Mahama’s spokesperson, Bawah Mogtari criticized Akomea and the NPP for their “hypocrisy” over Mahama's use of the phrase, pointing out that NPP supporters have previously labeled the former president “incompetent”—a direct insult, she argued, while condemning Mahama’s words over a mere phrase.

“On the other hand, the customized usage of the word ‘incompetent’ was a direct insult, and they all used it from top to bottom,” she wrote. “Today, try calling them ‘incompetent’ under the now even more precarious economic circumstances, and watch them scramble as if they were waiters offering wine to a customer.”

Akomea's Remarks

Nana Akomea, Managing Director of Intercity STC Coaches, rebuked Mahama for what he viewed as "insulting" comments directed at Vice President and NPP flagbearer Dr. Bawumia.

During an appearance on Good Morning Ghana on November 1, 2024, Akomea expressed surprise at Mahama’s apparent willingness to denigrate a political opponent for disagreeing with him, questioning how Mahama could imply his opponent was “below him.”

"There is a part of John Mahama denigrating his opponent, people who do not agree with him. I do not understand his pronouncements,” Akomea said. “How do you describe a contestant for the presidency, who has been Vice President for nearly eight years, as below you?

“What level are you? It is that character that leads him to tell Ghanaians they are not fit to criticize him because they have never been president,” Akomea added.

Akomea also pointed to Mahama’s previous controversial comments, including calling former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu “stupid” during discussions about the Airbus scandal.

“He described him as stupid. Recently, he said people are writing stupid things on social media. What kind of character is this? Someone who wants to lead people?” he questioned.

Mahama’s Original Comment

Mahama’s statement came after Vice President Dr. Bawumia posed 50 questions in response to Mahama’s earlier five questions regarding the economy.

Quoting a line from Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign, Mahama remarked, “It’s about the economy, stupid!” He criticized Bawumia for sidestepping core economic issues with irrelevant answers.

“It looks like our vice president has just learned those things in the 50 questions. The way we used to learn Baa Baa Black Sheep and Humpty Dumpty, because I asked you five simple questions on the economy.

“Let me take you down memory lane. In 1992, there was an election in America between Bill Clinton and George Bush Sr. At that time, the American economy was in recession, much like the Ghanaian economy today. And people were talking about immigration, talking about all kinds of useless things. Do you know what the Clinton people said? ‘It is about the economy, stupid!’

“Today I’m repeating those words. This election is about the economy, stupid! It’s not about all those other irrelevant things like who built how many compost plants. Answer the five simple questions!” Mahama said.



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Meanwhile, catch up on the latest Election Desk on GhanaWeb TV interview as Patricia Rockson Hammond sits down with Nana Akosua Frimpomaa Kumankumah, Flagbearer of the CPP, below: