Abstract
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The scramble for appointments, positions, and access to opportunities following a political victory is one of the most intricate and defining characteristics of democratic governance in post-colonial African states. This article examines the informal yet powerful frameworks that guide the allocation of political benefits, with Ghana as a case study. It identifies three main categories of political actors—financiers, sloganeering activists, and political opponents—explores their motivations, roles, and expectations, and analyzes the timing and logic behind the decisions on who gets rewarded and why. The study exposes the underlying dynamics of political patronage, elite bargaining, and exclusionary practices that shape the political economy of governance.
Introduction
In every democratic system, political parties exist not just to espouse ideologies or mobilize support, but primarily to capture state power. Once that power is secured through electoral victory, a new phase begins: the distribution of the “spoils” of victory. These spoils—appointments, positions, and economic opportunities—are rarely shared equitably or transparently. Instead, they follow a complex web of negotiations, obligations, debts, and power plays that often escape the public eye.
This post-election phase is where real politics begins. Who gets what, when, and why is determined not just by merit or constitutional procedure, but by prior allegiances, financial contributions, influence within party structures, and silent but powerful patronage networks. Understanding the layers and logic behind this process is crucial to unpacking governance realities in many developing democracies.
The Real Goal of Political Parties
At the heart of all political organization is the pursuit of power. In Ghana and similar democracies, power is accessed by capturing the three organs of government—the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary. However, the Executive typically exercises the greatest control over appointments and patronage. The moment a political party assumes power, an elaborate and unofficial process begins to determine how rewards and opportunities are shared among loyalists, financiers, and influencers.
The Three Broad Categories of Post-Election Actors
1. The Entitled: Those Who Must Get Something (Financiers)
These are the financial and spiritual architects of political victory. They may not be public figures or even card-bearing party members, but their influence is immense and often decisive. Their investment—monetary, strategic, or spiritual—grants them access to the levers of decision-making in the post-election period.
Subgroups include:
Bankrollers and Investment Gurus: These include foreign and local business interests, especially those tied to extractive industries, infrastructure, banking, and telecommunications. Often, these entities operate through proxies or surrogates.
Intellectual Frontliners: Professionals—lawyers, engineers, accountants, and medical experts—who provide technical support to parties and serve as fronts for multinational interests.
Religious and Spiritual Power Brokers: Prophets, Mallams, and pastors who provide “spiritual legitimacy” to political campaigns. They are often rewarded with state favors or influence in policy appointments.
State Bureaucracy Allies: Former and current heads of powerful state institutions (e.g., GRA, GNPC, COCOBOD) who serve as behind-the-scenes strategists.
Property-Owning Class and Their Lobbyists: Elite families and business moguls who treat governance as a continuum of their economic empires.
The Middle Class Political Investors: Often represented in Parliament or civil service, these individuals support winning parties through media narratives, think tanks, and policy advocacy.
2. The Hopefuls: Those Who May Get Something (Sloganeering Activists)
These are the visible foot soldiers, communicators, and organizers who rally public support, defend the party’s image, and coordinate campaign logistics. Their contribution is emotional, ideological, and logistical—but not necessarily rewarded proportionally.
Key actors include:
National, regional, and constituency executives of the ruling party
Branch and polling station coordinators
Party vigilantes and ballot box protectors
Communication officers, serial callers, and social media influencers
Owners of party-affiliated radio and TV stations
Professional groups (lawyers, teachers, etc.) aligned with the party
Leaders of pseudo-independent civil society groups loyal to the party
Despite their activism, many are often left disgruntled when real power-sharing begins, especially if they lack influential patrons or godfathers.
3. The Excluded: Those Who Must Not Get Anything (Political Opponents)
The logic of exclusion is as deliberate as that of inclusion. After power is captured, not everyone is rewarded—some are sidelined deliberately.
Categories of the excluded include:
Opposition Members: Those who belong to rival parties and are seen as ideological enemies or electoral threats.
Internal Dissenters: Members of the ruling party who either did not support the dominant faction or are viewed as potential challengers to the current leadership.
Loyal but Threatening: Individuals who played key roles during the campaign but are considered too independent-minded or ambitious, and thus a threat to the dominant clique.
These exclusions are part of a broader tactic to consolidate power, eliminate internal competition, and silence alternative narratives within and outside the ruling party.
Who Calls the Shots, When and Why?
The ultimate authority in sharing power lies with the President or the highest-ranking executive figure in a new government. However, that authority is exercised in consultation—often behind closed doors—with financiers, political patrons, ethnic leaders, and spiritual advisers.
The timing and rationale depend on:
Strategic Loyalty Payback: Key appointments are used to reward long-term loyalists and critical financiers early in the administration.
Ethnic and Regional Balancing: To prevent unrest or dissatisfaction, representation is often balanced across key regions and ethnic blocs.
Factional Power Consolidation: Appointments are carefully made to strengthen the ruling faction and weaken competing blocs within the party.
External Pressure: Some appointments are influenced by foreign governments, multilateral donors, or international corporations with stakes in national resources or policies.
Conclusion
The business of political appointments and the sharing of governance opportunities is more than a post-election ritual—it is a microcosm of the real power dynamics at play in democratic systems. It reveals the unwritten contracts, silent debts, and invisible hands that guide governance and influence national development.
While some beneficiaries may be deserving, the broader system often excludes the qualified, promotes mediocrity, and entrenches factionalism. For democracies like Ghana to mature, there must be greater transparency, meritocracy, and fairness in the appointment and rewards system. Otherwise, the political system risks perpetuating cycles of disappointment, alienation, and disillusionment among the citizenry—especially the youth, activists, and professionals who continue to believe in a just and inclusive society.
