Ghana’s December 7, 2024 Elections: Does the Will of God Matter?
On 7th December 2024, Ghanaians, including my good self, will go to the polls to elect a President (and Vice President) and Members of Parliament (MPs) to govern this beautiful country for four years. This particular election is interesting for a number of reasons:
1. The two leading political parties, National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would go into the 7th December 2024 polls each with 16 years of governance experience under the 4th Republic.
2. It will be the first time under the 4th Republic that a former President would be seeking the mandate to govern again.
3. It will also be the first time under the 4th Republic that a sitting Vice President of the NPP has democratically received the nod of his party as flagbearer.
5. It will also be the first time that the two leading political parties (NDC & NPP) would be presenting presidential candidates who hail from the northern part of the country.
6. It will be the first time in the 4th Republic that a Muslim from one of the two major political parties is standing as President.
7. Arguably, it will also be the first time that two independent presidential candidates appear to make significant inroads in their bid to win the mandate of the people.
Just like the past eight elections under the 4th Republic, Ghanaians will go to the polls to elect a President (and Vice President) and 275 parliamentarians. But in exercising this democratic right, will the will of God play any role? Is God interested in who is sworn into office as President of Ghana on 7th January 2025? Is God interested in the leadership and membership of the 9th Parliament of the Fourth Republic of Ghana?
As a patriot and a spiritually oriented person, I have been praying for Ghana’s Presidential and Parliamentary elections scheduled for Saturday, 7th December, 2024. I started the prayers a couple of months ago, seeking peace, unity, love and understanding among Ghanaians before, during and after the 7th December 2024 elections. During one particular bout of this prayer line, I received an interesting spiritual prompt that would dominate my thoughts about the 7th December 2024 elections. The prompt came in the form of an instruction: “pray for the will of God to be done in the 7th December 2024 elections”. Even though I am aware of the aspect of the Lord’s Prayer that says “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven….”, the prompt still took me aback and kept me wondering if the will of God had any role to play in national elections in general, and the 7th December 2024 elections in particular.
With a mixed sense of obedience to the Word of God and some dose of skepticism, I decided to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to reflect on the possible reasons why I needed to pray for God’s will to be done in the 7th December 2024 elections. In no particular order of importance, these are the nuggets of wisdom that I received:
1. To say God’s will be done in the 2024 elections simply means that the leaders who emerge victorious in the 2024 elections should be those He wants or prefers at this stage in the country’s development.
2. Only God knows the hearts of those seeking our mandate to govern Ghana in the December 7, 2024 elections and therefore His will be a perfect choice for us.
3. Our political judgments or interests as individuals, groups, communities or society are limited to our circumstances; only God knows and sees the big picture and the future as well.
4. God has a plan and purpose for Ghana in the coming years. The unfolding of His plan for Ghana will depend largely on the leadership of the country; which is why our choice must be in line with His Will.
5. We may have very good intentions for this country that will influence our voting but the Will of God is better than our best intentions.
6. Apart from God, this country can do nothing. So, we need to entrust Him with the choice of our leaders.
7. God is able to stir the spirit of Ghanaians to vote a leader of His choice in line with His plans for us. He will do this perfectly if we pray for His Will to be done, and in that same vein He may also ensure that the leaders so elected act according to His Will whilst in office.
8. Only God knows the end from the beginning so He is the only one who can tell how each leader will end if given the mandate. This is why we have to pray for God to help us to choose one who’s leadership will end well for the good people of Ghana.
9. Ghana is at the crossroads of its economic development and needs a leader to take some decisive steps after the December polls. Only God knows the person who can best achieve this among the prospective or potential leaders. So, we need to pray for His Will to be done.
10. When God’s Will is done in the election of our leaders, He will also provide the necessary consolation to the losing contestants and parties to ensure that peace reigns in Ghana after the elections.
I am certainly not in a position to advise you on who to vote for in the Presidential or Parliamentary elections on December 7, 2024. But, for God and Country, I can certainly share my spiritual revelation on the elections, which is what I have done in this short article. He/she that hath ears to hear, let him/her hear.
God bless our homeland Ghana, and make our Nation great and strong…..
Shalom
Dr. Edward Ackah-Nyamike Jnr.