THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS

With this unfolding trend, one can expect that the year 2025 will be more of politicking than attention to work. According to news of the day, President Barrow has reaffirmed his intentions to run as NPP flag bearer in the 2026 Presidential race. By implication therefore, it is automatic that NPP members will endorse his candidature. The other Political leaders have yet to make definite pronouncements about their candidatures, although, their silence means intending to run in the elections.

This notwithstanding, the democratic process has started in earnest. Except under excruciating circumstances, it is difficult for the incumbent to lose in the elections. The fundamental problem is how to ensure a free, fair and transparent elections in the African context. In most African electoral laws, members of the Election Commission are appointed by the President.

Therefore, the determination of election outcomes have mostly ended up in legal tussles between the incumbency and the opposition. How do we get rid of this menace in African political systems is the big question in the democratic process. Politically speaking, the best way to remove the anxieties of electoral doubts and malpractices, is through electoral reforms that would ensure that a representative of each major political party is appointed to the membership of the National Election Committee. It takes real democratic convictions of African leadership and the collective political will of Parties to ensure that this mechanism is in place in electoral conduct. It will strengthen the democratic process and ensure transparency and accountability in the conduct of elections.

It must be acknowledged that President Barrow has endeavored to adhere to democratic governance over the years, sometimes under difficult circumstances. And rightly so, because the exercise of democracy calls for patience, tolerance, adherence to the rule of law and administration of justice. The politics of hate creates instability in the democratic process and incites political violence.

The current political quarrel between the NPP and UDP leadership poses threat to National security. The sooner it is ended the OPINION better for democratic stability and the maintenance of peace and tranquility in the country. One wonders why are these two leaders so bitter against each other. It is unfortunate that people who were in the same boat can longer politically coexist in the democratic process. The consolidation of democracy calls for coequal responsibility between stakeholders in the political space. The Inter Party Committee will fail the Nation should they remain silent in amicably resolving the political war between these two major players. When political conduct becomes competition for the seat of power rather than based on the democratic convictions of Politicians as it appears to be the case in this country then the fragility and collapse of the democratic process is on the horizon. Can the country afford to go back to the pre 2016 era?