Before every election, there is intense campaigning which sees many political aspirants/candidates do everything within their power to solicit for as many votes as they can.
It is even more difficult for Ghanaian politicians to win the hearts, and votes of Ghanaians, because the citizens have become increasingly discerning when it comes to politics.
This is due to the many failed promises they have received from successive governments.
The citizens know their vote is their power and they make politicians ‘sweat’ for it.
Undoubtedly, the politicians also do whatever they can to secure their votes, even it means cooking, cleaning or collecting rubbish for the electorates.
Images below prove how far politicians can go to win votes during election seasons.
They braid citizens hair
Ahead of the 2016 general elections, former Mayor of Accra, Alfred Oko Vanderpuje, was captured on camera braiding the hair of an unidentified woman during one of his campaign tours.
It is not common knowledge that the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South is also a hairdresser, but it is not surprising that elections can bring out the hidden talents in politicians.
They pound fufu at ‘chop bars’
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the current vice-president of Ghana, during the active campaign season towards the 2016 general elections, was spotted pounding fufu at a local food restaurant (chop bar) with some elderly women.
He looked really happy as he held the heavy pestle.
Looks like he has to open a chop bar soon.
They eat with anybody and everybody in the same bowl
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is the master of eating with any available Ghanaian citizen during campaign seasons.
He can eat yam, kenkey and pepper, just mention it.
What is incredibly important to him is that he gets the chance to interact with people, and hopefully, solicit for their votes.
This practice is believed to be part of the campaign strategies that helped him win the presidential seat in 2016.
They pull trucks filled with garbage
John Dumelo, the NDC parliamentary candidate-elect for the Ayawaso-West Woguon constituency was recently sighted pulling a truck filled with rubbish, after he had successfully conducted a clean-up exercise within the constituency.
Some people around were giving him praises, while others burst into fits of laughter.
They become make-up artists
Francis-Xavier Sosu, who is the elected NDC parliamentary candidate for Madina on October 5, 2019, joined a make-up party at the University of Professional Studies, Accra.
He used this opportunity to connect to students in his constituency. He described the situation as ‘exciting’.
The student Mr. Sosu ‘made up’ looked uncomfortable, as she knew he was not a professional makeup artiste and could ruin her face.
They become new visitors in your home
Most politicians use the house-to-house campaign strategy to connect with citizens on a deeper level and win their votes in the long run. Lawyer Francis Sosu also recently used this strategy during the NDC primaries.
They all are politicians and have their professional careers on the side but if at any point in life they suffer setbacks, these men can fall back on the new skills they have acquired thanks to political campaigns.
President Akufo-Addo eats with some citizens before 2016 general elections