Under all normal circumstances, one will surely back a winning horse as a matter of sensibleness. To do otherwise, by backing the wrong horse, will make you appear a laughing stock in the eyes of many people.

Let me try to expatiate on the idiomatic expressions that have become the subject matter of this publication in relation to the ongoing practice of democratic politics in Ghana.

What does it mean to back a winning horse, my readers may ask? “In this idiom, the word back is used in the sense of “support.” To back a horse is to support its chances of winning a race, which, in horse racing, usually entails the intention of betting on the horse to win”.

On the other hand, the idiom “to back the wrong horse” is widely used to refer to political races and any situation where the outcome is uncertain”, thus, “to make the wrong choice concerning who or what you support and to support a person or action that is later unsuccessful; to make a wrong choice; to guess wrongly concerning the final outcome”.

What a tricky subject Rockson Adofo has chosen to treat which his views may appear contrary and stupid to that of many a Ghanaian. However, in the end, he will be able to convince some people to realise that it is not always that it is wise to support the winning candidate in today’s Ghana politics.

Are there not exceptions to every rule as in “the majority carries the vote” with its exception of, “it’s not always that the majority is right”?

In today’s Ghana politics with regard to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) delegates going to the polls on 13 May 2023, to elect their flag bearer-cum-presidential-candidate for election 2024, all the signs written on the wall from human perspective and in realism, indicate that aspiring candidate John Dramani Mahama will win hands down. Nevertheless, a conclusive statement to this effect cannot be made until the election is over, as a contestant can pull up surprises as in “man proposes and God disposes”

“It's not over until it’s over” and “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”

Was John Dramini Mahama not doing Usain Bolt in the heat of election 2016, telling Ghanaians he had taken the lead hence won the election already, long before Ghanaians went to the polls, as does the Jamaican 100 metres sprinter Usain Bolt?

In the end, did he not lose the election so miserably, when his hopes of rigging the election were dashed as per God’s mighty hand at play in Nana Akufo-Addo’s campaign slogan of “the battle is the Lord’s”?

Assuming without accepting that candidate John Dramani Mahama will win the election, will he be a good person to contest the candidate from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to win the presidential election?

Again, assuming without accepting that he wins election 2024 to become the president, is he credible enough to rule Ghana, considering his many skeletons in the cupboard?

Is he not the one that supports the devastation of the country’s fertile and arable lands, water bodies, forests, cocoa farms, etc., through his public declaration of support for the small scale and illegal alluvial mining (galamsey) in the country? Is he not the one who lies same as he breathes with the motive of making the ruling government unpopular and hated by Ghanaians in order to get them out of power to be replaced by himself and his NDC party?

Is water not life? Is forest that aids rainfall and supplies us with oxygen not life? Is the land that produces food for human consumption not life? Therefore, if the answers to all the questions are yes, then is he a credible person to lead Ghana he who superintends, or vows to superintend, their destruction? YES or NO, my dear public readers?

Former President John Dramani Mahama could clearly be said to have won the NDC flagbearership, but could he be a better president to sort the problems of Ghana, as devoid of social intervention policies and programmes, but overflowing with populist ideas emanating from the public outcry of “we are suffering” (“Ye ho kyere yen”).

He thinks by jumping to side with the public all the time will garner him their votes to win any general elections, although as deficient in nation-developing policies and programmes and ideas as he is.

He has taken the lead, a sure bet of winning the race. However as a Ghanaian, I invite you to be a critical thinker but not a fool. Will you support him just because he looks possibly the winner, although he is corrupt, a liar, incompetent and cringes at the sight of the truth?

To conclude, it is not always that you have to back the winning horse, if such horse has the negative attributes of candidate John Dramani Mahama.


John Mahama by his track record is a “ko t3 b3ku me” thus, going to buy something that will sooner end up killing you.

It is like the winning horse you are backing overstepping its race boundaries to bump into the crowd (spectators) to kill you by the sheer impact of its hit against your body.

Will you back a winning horse that will likely kill you? Keep the answer to yourself and battle with it in your mind.

Will it not be better to back the horse that can pull surprises, as gentle, full of vigour, wise and serious as he is?

Go for Dr Kwabena Duffour, the more sensible one that is overflowing with ideas, policies and programmes to better the image of Ghana and the standard of living of Ghanaians. He will never lie to Ghanaians and will never be as populist as John Mahama. To rule a nation, or to develop a country for the welfare of your fellow citizens is not all about a resort to populism but to implement far-sighted and sound policies of long term effect.

I will write about who the NPP must also elect as their flag bearer. I think I had already mentioned him or them in my previous publications.



Rockson Adofo