Mahama Again As Flagbearer Won't Chauffeur NDC Over!

Tal como it celebrates its silver jubilee: It is not surprising that many eligible flagbearership aspirants are hoping to make their marks on NDC to help the party return to power as quickly as possible. Thought there is no clear indication the current leader of the party ex-president John Dramani Mahama will run or rather seek reelection as the flagbearer going into 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections. The present leader and his apparent running mate, Kwesi Bekoe Amissah Arthur, the former Vice presiden, have definitely not made their positions cut-and-dry to party hierarchy, executives, grassroots and sympathizers regarding whether they will or not constest primary election

Even as JJ Rawlings will continue to unleash pressure on the party in other to foist his preferred candidate on the NDC and when he fails, is likely he will engage in his usual divisionist spat, l am a firm believer that the NDC as multi-ethnic diversified Ghanaian political organization is dynamic, robust and resilient to withstand that. So far as it can be demonstrated by the available data that it is the party with more electoral victories on its records and one had expected victory in 2016 election would have added a notch to it. The victory of NDC in the last year election would have had devastating effect on the NPP, quashing Nana Addo's ambition to be president forever and creating permanent confusion in already a fragile party. The irony is that, we hope for the well being of NPP anyway because it is in the interest of Ghana

The the immediate past president has spoken in uncertain terms with regard to his position on flagbearership since his defeat to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, something to effect that he wouldn't waver to support whomsover would emerge as the leader of the NDC. But we can't completely rule out the possibility of him running as his politically loaded witty affirmation can't be interpreted as dropping the ball. Because there is possibility of lobbying for his favorite candidate, but the caliber and name of that replacing personality is not yet known to party executives, the grassroots, members and the general public at large

So far, names like Haruna Iddrisu, Spio Garbrah, Alban Bagbin etc. have popped up as potential candidates hoping to participate in the primary election to make with leadership of the Umbrella party but the uncertainty that surrounds the current leader's decision has made them not to be forthcoming regarding their intentions. I support the early congress narratives because the earlier NDC presented its presidential candidates to the electorate the better! The primary objective of any candidate is to win election, on the other hand the next option will be to put foothold on the mind of electorate in scenario he didn't win

Is fact that ex-president John Dramani Mahama is undoubtedly affable, unifier and above all appealing to the delegates and those who are already madly in love with him will be blind (pardon the pun ) when it comes to selecting him. But there are certain factors that must be taken into consideration before making the choice of who should lead the party into 2020. Factors that must largely answer the question why NDC lost the golden opportunity to clinch 7th December 2016 election! We all know that majority of Ghanaians voted based in the last election on the state of the economy. Inevitably the bad shape of the economy was blamed on ex-president Mahama's supposedly bad management quality the reason he was rejected. So taking him back to the electorate will smack the idea that the Ghanaian people are being taken for granted hence the need for a new leader, possibly a new face to energize the party

Also is a fact that the former president is left with one term therefore it will be politically unwise to make him the flagbearer. Even if there is possibility of him winning 2020 general elections but you will admit Nana Addo Dankwa, the president has incumbency advantage of him. If the former president wins, apart from the burden of going to congress 'again' in 2024 for a new leader hypothetically it won't be acquittal and vindication of him because is going to be something like "president to ex to president". In other words his record will be tainted because he was unable to win successively/conservatively. That is, it will be better for him to resign now to make way for new, energetic and vibrant leadership

On the other hand, losing it will be double defeat or embarrassment of the NDC leader. But mostly important in terms of political strategy from 2020 upwards, obstinate decision to stand, a precious time would have been lost to introduce the potential new leader the general public for four years

Finally, the leadership of the umbrella fraternity must to mitigate the founder's bigotry by being selfless and casting the net wider. Am expecting the day our democracy will grow to equal that of United States Of America where anybody who is nobody can vie for the positions of the flagbearership of any of the political parties in Ghana rather than usual process of "recycling" through party line where the same faces always surface

Agobodzo, Richard
You can contact me via [email protected] or www.facebook.com/Agobodzo Richard