Every election cycle in Ghana, the opposition chants the same line “Power is transient, the tables will turn, our time is coming” and so on. These are comforting rallying cry.
But 32 years into the 4th Republic, evidence suggests the opposite. I hold the view that power is not transient. It only evolves and revolves around the same system with a change in actors. This is not a new observation. It is a political theory, and it is playing out in real time.
Let us examine the Elite theory “Elites change, the structure does not” developed by two Italian sociologists Vilfredo Pareto and Gaetano Mosca in the late 19th century.
Vilfredo Pareto argued that in every society, power is held by a small “circulating elite.” One elite is displaced, another takes its place, but the class of elites never disappears.
Gaetano Mosca then added that the ruling class always justifies itself with a “political formula,” (in our case here in Ghana, development, fight against corruption, or protecting democracy) to legitimize its rule.
Applying the two theories to Ghana, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) are two wings of the same governing elite. When one falls, the other rises. The Presidency, Parliament, MDAs, contracts, and patronage networks remain intact. Only the actors change.
For instance, when the NDC government came in after December 2024, the NPP went into opposition. Immediately, the narrative shifted to “defending our own.” The NPP has staged multiple demonstrations citing “arbitrary arrest, detention and harassment” of its members by state agencies.
In August 2026, the NPP held the “Democracy Under Attack” demonstration in Accra, marching from the Supreme Court to Jubilee House. The party alleged “selective justice” and the “criminalisation of free speech” through prosecutions of over 45 politicians, journalists and commentators.
Specific cases cited included the arrests and prosecution of former Ashanti Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, Bono Regional Chairman Kwame Baffoe, also known as Abronye DC and some social media commentators that are sympathetic to the NPP
On the other side, clashes continue at the grassroots. In October 2024, an NPP-NDC clash in Mamobi left nine people injured. In July 2025, violence during the Ablekuma North rerun saw NPP stalwart Hawa Koomson assaulted.
The pattern is clear. Party loyalists are mobilized to defend, attack, and demonstrate. But the most important question to ask is, who benefits when the dust settles?
After taking part in the demonstrations, the social media verbal wars, the traditional media fierce debates and fisticuffs, then comes the disappointment of the ‘ordinary man’, (using ordinary man advisedly)
Out of thousands who march, tweet, rant on TikTok and risk injury or face prosecution, only a few hundred who are closer to king makers, will get something to do. Then those with Godfathers and Godmothers will get a DCE slot, a board appointment, a contract. The majority, (ordinary man) return to the same conditions or even worse. The hike in fuel prices, will impact the small you hustle to make, you will get to your bus terminal (Trotro station) due to scarcity of cars, you have to literally fight your way into the car. That’s the daily routine for the ‘ordinary man’.
The promise is always “jobs, prosecution of the corrupt, roads, hospitals, the economy.” However, the reality is “evolution of elites.” Leaders, once in office, prioritize maintaining the system over the original goals of the masses.
Vilfredo Pareto would call this the “circulation of elites.” The NDC elite replaces the NPP elite. The policies, the bureaucracy, and the incentives of the state remain. Campaign promises of prosecuting “perceived corrupt past appointees” often fade because the new elite now relies on the same system to govern. Few alleged corruption cases may make it to the courts, one may get conviction, the rest can travel till the next election.
The youth who mass up for demonstrations are told “power is transient, the table will turn, tomorrow is pregnant” to keep hope alive. But what is transient is access to the individual politician. What is permanent is the structure that determines who gets jobs, contracts, and protection.
It is time we demand the system, not the actor.
The youth must recognize the smokescreen. Politicians “know how to reach over the fence.” They weaponize anger at the other party to prevent scrutiny of the system itself.
The question should not be “NPP or NDC?” The question should be: are our roads from Accra to Kumasi to Tamale motorable? Because traversing those roads are no longer safe. It is either a gory accident or highway robbery.
Are our hospitals stocked? Do we have enough beds to end the cliché that is quickly becoming the norm “no bed syndrome”
Is the education system producing jobs, is it safe to train our children or it is devolving into chaos while people with deep pocket and power, are sending their wards to private schools?
Is justice applied equally, not selectively? Such that it will be difficult for the opposition to shout “Unanimous FC”, or we will continue to witness more of the nolle prosequi when power changes.
As Gaetano Mosca warned, every ruling class rules with the consent of the ruled, secured through formulas and emotions. If we keep fighting for actors, the elite will keep revolving.
Therefore, I want to submit that stop chasing actors. Start demanding development, progress, infrastructure, healthcare, and quality education. Insist on institutional reform, not just a change of faces.
Because power is not transient. It is a revolving door. And until we break the doorframe, we will keep watching the same people walk in and out, while the rest of us queue for many hours for promotional Chicken.
The writer is Bright Yao Dzakah. He is a media practitioner with the Ignite Media Group.
