OPINION: Political support is mostly driven by personal interest – Dove Maxwell, political Analyst

Dove Maxwell, Political Analyst

The saying,”A friend in need is a friend indeed” seems not to apply to our politicians of today. Political support is transient and mostly driven by personal interest. To our modern politicians, politics based on principles or ideology is for the weak hearted and those who are not ready to acquire real wealth, gain recognition, fame and access to real power. It is all about conspiracy to capture power for our personal and group interests and enrichment.The saddest aspect of this phenomenon is that some young politicians have started behaving like fishes in water. They swiftly migrate to where the water is fuller and do that with dexterity and finesse. Some quickly join ruling parties because their parties are no longer in power whilst others attack and vehemently condemn their parties policies and programmes because they are no longer in power. Their support for party and its ideology ends immediately the party loses an election.They cannot hold to their conviction.

We have others who are neither here or there but wait to see where the pendulum swings so they will align with it. This phenomenon has made most of our politicians fair-weather friends and you can only identify real friends and loyal political allies through regular changes. “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power”- Abraham Lincoln.

Success attracts great friends. Once a man is down, many of his friends avoid him. Adversity is a great teacher. It defines friendship. Some of our political friends are not real friends, rather they are power seekers, they lack principle and integrity. The only way to clear these political hoodlums and fickleness off the political stable is to make our our politics issues based and about accomplishments.

Inconsistency is the bane of Ghanaian politicians. Some are always ready to flow with the tide. This is the reason why some politicians put their family first, followed by those who are always with them. When the fair weather friends hit you, you would definitely be depressed and realise that you only have your family and reliable old friends to fall back on. You have to put God first, know your limits with unreliable friends, sycophants, cheer leaders and friends that come to you for fame, power, recognition and money. Some are just drinking partners.

It is time to bury the era of inconsistency in political affiliations, half truth, unnecessary backbiting and suspicions, lies, sycophancy and deceits. We must start putting smiles on our faces by being truthful to each other and acting in concert as people from same ideology stock. It is time to hold real virtues and stop mediocrity from flourishing, time to the end the era where people put their selfish ambitions ahead of party and nation’s interest. We must say farewell to the era where beneficiaries of our patrimony are the greedy politicians, economic saboteurs, fraudsters and connected cronies.

All the parties should stick to their ideologies such that members would remain faithful and not be running to greener pastures when challenges arise.