There has been a groundswell of concern about the possible choice of a running mate to partner HE John Dramani Mahama for the crucial elections of 2024. The Ghanaian people most especially the members and sympathizers of the NDC are very enthusiastic and upbeat about the need to get everything right in order to take over power from the disappointing and corrupt New Patriotic Party and government.
As required by the constitution of our Republic, one of the critical decisions to be made by our Presidential Candidate and resident-in-waiting is the nomination of a running mate to partner him into the 2024 elections. Indeed, the choice of a running mate is the sole prerogative of the candidate. However, convention and political practice requires of him to consult the leadership of the party since he is running for president on the ticket of a party and not as an independent Candidate.
With the buzz and enthusiasm across the entire spectrum of the NDC gearing for nothing but victory in 2024, the party needs to tread cautiously in the matter of the nomination of a running mate that would serve the collective and overall interest of the party and the country and not that of any individual segments or interest group within the party. We must be guided by the fact that electoral victory is the ultimate in 2024.
The recent sponsored viral media publications on the possible choice of running mate for John Dramani Mahama in the opinion of many including myself is uncalled for as it has the tendency of sowing seeds of discord in the party. The performance of the party in the 2020 elections with the JOHN/JANE ticket was a huge success which gave us a hung parliament. But for the gerrymandering by the Electoral Commission in collaboration with the New Patriotic Party, it is believed that we had won both the presidential election and gained some majority seats in parliament. This led the party to challenge some parliamentary seats at the High Court as well as file an Election Petition at the Supreme Court.
It is important to state that up to today, there is still that utmost belief and conviction that the NDC was cheated in both the presidential and parliamentary elections in 2020 to give the incumbent government the undeserved opportunity to hang on to power; which has failed to serve the expectations of the ordinary Ghanaian people.
To this extent, discerning observers of the political landscape are not enthused by the undue pressure on the presidential candidate on the matter of the nomination of a new running mate. The growing media publications of all manner of stories on this matter would not serve our party’s interest. Is it not untenable for the party to contemplate changing the ticket we believed had won the elections in 2020? The JOHN/JANE ticket with all intents and purposes was a master stroke in 2020 and would even be more potent and convincing in 2024.
Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang by her work ethics, hard-work, insight, commitment and dedication to serving the party has earned an enviable record for herself as the best-fit for the position of running mate ahead of 2024 elections. Amidst the disappointment and despair of the 2020 elections outcome, she has availed herself to complement the efforts of former President Mahama in reorganizing and rallying the rank and file of the party for the fierce election campaign for 2024. She has resolutely stood by the Former President in building a solid, attractive and trusted relationship with the academia and middle-class in the process which portends great potential for the Party and future government that will salvage the debilitating economy of our dear country.
As the first female Vice Chancellor of any public university in Ghana, her proven and demonstrated competence and capabilities in public service has been unquestionable. Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang has been tried, tested and proven. Her sterling performance and record at the Ministry of Education is legendary as she worked and networked to improve learning outcomes that contributed immensely to education in Ghana. As a teacher and mother, she impacted greatly the quest to mold and mentor the girl-child through the elimination of barriers and challenges that threatened the female gender in terms of education.
The question on the lips of many is “why try to fix it when it isn’t broken? Ordinarily, the party should not have any difficulty in taking a decision as to who partners John Mahama in the 2024 elections with Professor Naana still available and willing to serve her party and motherland. She has the gravitas, experience, verve and energy to complement the efforts of our Presidential Candidate in wrestling power from the inept and non-performing NPP in 2024 as well as turning around the dwindling fortunes of our dear country for the better. Simply put, “NO ONE CHANGES A WINNING TEAM”.
It is the expectations of genuinely concerned party grassroots that the party puts forward the same ticket that performed exceptionally and impressively well in 2020 in order to secure and consolidate a solid victory in 2024 as we cannot afford any slips. The party should be concerned about what other strategies to adopt in winning the elections rather than being concerned about the choice of a running mate as that is already clear and manifest with a John Mahama/Jane Naana ticket.
HON. ABU K. KANGSANGABATA
FMR. DEP. REG MINISTER-UWR
