Political Apology & Political Forgiveness NOT Enough For Re-Election:

Political Apology & Political Forgiveness NOT Enough For Re-Election:

Bruce Lee puts this way; “mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them”.

However:
1. “Political Apologies & Political Forgiveness” do not always lead to genuine RECONCILIATION, & REINSTATEMENT.

2. Can citizens genuinely forgive Politicians who refused to admit their mistakes while in power but only apologize when power left them?

3. Can citizens forgive politicians who predominantly & strongly cited ” Russia-Ukraine War” and COVID-19 as the cause of their mistakes while in power but suddenly admit that they were the cause after losing power?

4. Can citizens forgive politicians who made them suffer economically, heavily causing them to lose their investments and purchasing power?

According to Psychology of Forgiveness, “to forgive is to undergo a contextualized psychological transformation toward a transgressor and the transgressions.

The Working Theory of Forgiveness has two main components:
1. Decisional Forgiveness, which involves changes in behavior and attitude.

2. Emotional Forgiveness, focusing on changes in feelings towards the transgressor.

The process of forgiveness is through exoneration, underpinning by understanding and insight, and behavioral changes.

Asking for forgiveness has four stages namely:
1. Accepting Responsibility, something that H. E. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has done, asking for Ghana’s forgiveness for the mistakes of NPP Government.

2. Showing Remorse
We are yet to see any proper and genuine remorse among the people surrounding H. E. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

3. Restoration
Would Ghanaians make amends with the economic performance of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the Head of Economic Management Team of Akufo-Addo’s government?

4. Renewal
If NPP delegates renew the Flagbearership mandate of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, would majority of Ghanaians overwhelmingly vote for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as President in 2028?

In conclusion, rendering public apology is a very good thing that we must encourage in our body politics, BUT there is the need for voters to consistently evaluate the people rendering the apology, demand for accountability and justice as well.

Forgiveness is NOT automatic ticket for Compromise, Restoration, and Renewal of mandate.

In Ghana and Africa, we mostly apologize when we are without power, and significantly defend our actions and mistakes when we are with power.

Forgiveness is NOT a staged work, that is why, people who came on board after presidential primaries to support and execute the campaign were later mafiad, sidelined, and victimized after the party had won power from 2016-2024.

Even among the political class, there is nothing like genuine forgiveness; they punish each other for their respective past mistakes and political sins.

…. Signed…
Razak Kojo Opoku
Founding President of UP Tradition