'3rd fool is the real fool' - Mahama asks Ghanaians to reject NPP's 'lies'

John Dramani Mahama, the Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has cautioned Ghanaians against being swayed by the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) promises as the country heads into the general election.

During a community engagement in Juapong in the Volta Region on Tuesday, 13 August, Mahama criticised the NPP for what he described as a persistent pattern of dishonesty, warning that their upcoming manifesto launch on Sunday, 18 August, would be filled with misleading claims.

“This is a government full of lies and premises,” Mahama said, adding that, “on the 18th of December, they will launch the manifesto of lies. They will tell you, ‘we are coming to do this for you’.”

He further likened the NPP's tactics to a proverbial saying, warning Ghanaians not to be fooled: “They say the first fool is not a fool, the second fool is not a fool, who is the third fool? The third fool is the real fool. They said one child, one egg, one child, one chocolate— all are lies.”

Mahama emphasised the importance of experienced leadership, suggesting that his previous tenure demonstrated his ability to govern effectively. He advised voters to be wary of the “try me” approach promoted by his political opponent in the NPP, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

“In 2016, they said, ‘oh, try me, and if in four years I don’t do well, you can vote me out.’ Now, Jack Toronto’s younger brother is saying the same thing. He too says, ‘try me, and after four years, if I don’t do well, you can vote me out,’ but the youth of this country do not have the time to try anybody again,” Mahama asserted, arguing that the country cannot afford another untested leader.

He urged Ghanaians to resist any attempts by the NPP to sway their votes with financial inducements, reminding them of the difficulties they have faced over the past eight years under the current administration. “Before the election, they will come with plenty of money. When they come, I beg you, take your thing back. But on the day when you go to the ballot box, remember the eight years of suffering, remember the eight years of hunger, remember the eight years of poverty, and vote for the government and the president that will come and turn this nation around,” Mahama advised.

In his concluding remarks, Mahama insisted that the future of Ghana requires experienced leadership and proven expertise to navigate the challenges facing the nation. “What we need is an experienced hand who has handled this country before and whose work we have seen. And so we are not going to try anybody. We are going back to experience, we are going back to expertise to turn our country around so that our youth can have a brighter future,” he stated.

Mahama’s message has resonated with many Ghanaians who have experienced the economic and social hardships of recent years, setting the stage for a heated and closely contested campaign.

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