Mahama would make shameful history if he runs again – NDC member
Mr Kofi Mensah Agbey, a leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), says former President John Mahama should call time on front-line politics and use his experience to guide up and coming party leaders.
He however warned that if former President Mahama runs again “he will be making the unflattering history of being the only former President to run for President again and at a great cost to his image and also virtually wipe away any chance of electoral victory for the NDC in the near future.”
He advised the rank and file of the NDC to “fiercely resist any attempt by the former President to come back.”
He explained that any planned comeback will be an indication of the former President’s sense of entitlement to the party after he has already had the privilege and the opportunity to serve as President and Vice President.
“A comeback for John Mahama will make him lose all the respect that he has left after he led the NDC into an electoral swamp in 2016,” Mr. Agbey said.
“What worries me is that within the NDC itself, many are not unsupportive of the former President’s perceived moves to become flagbearer again as the unprecedented defeat to the NPP in 2016 is now an albatross that hangs around his neck.
May be he thinks he could purge himself of all the wrongs and blame but if he is allowed to assume the party’s ticket again, the psychological repercussions will be dire and that voters will not be willing to give him that responsibility of the Presidency.”
According to Mr Agbey “the simple question you ask yourself is, what else would make him want to have another go at the Presidency? I think he should bid frontline politics farewell and become a god father and a guide to those who still learning the ropes.”
“We are talking about a man who has gone through the whole mileage of public service and government in Ghana; a man who has been an MP, a Deputy Minister, a Minister, a Vice President and a President.
He said,” this is wrong, unpalatable and not conventional. The other former Presidents of Ghana: Presidents Kufuor and Rawlings have since retired in dignity and live as statesmen after having their turns at the Presidency. President Mahama should follow the examples of Kufuor and Rawlings and rather avail himself of international roles as a former President and a guide for NDC.”
According to him, “The NPP too is believed to have built a huge dossier of investigations to discredit the former President and are keenly looking forward to the NDC making a mistake and making John Mahama flag bearer again. Just like a python waiting for its prey.”
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) is likely to elect its flag bearer for the 2020 election in 2018 and prominent among the names that have come up is that of former President John Mahama.
Source: GNA