Dr. Richard Amoako Baah
A former head Political Science Department at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr. Richard Amoako Baah, has stated that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) will lose the 2024 general elections for the third time if they make the mistake of presenting John Mahama as its candidate.
According to him “It will indeed be advisable for the National Democratic Congress to present a new candidate because we know what Mahama has done, there is nothing new’’.
Dr. Amoako Baah’s comments follow the latest report by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) which predicts that the NDC will be best placed to win the 2024 presidential election if it presents a fresh candidate instead of John Mahama when speaking to Asaase Radio.
The EIU’s five-year forecast report for Ghana stated the NDC has a higher probability to be victorious in the next general elections since President Akufo-Addo’s tenure ends in 2024 with NPP set to present a new candidate for the next elections and if he contests he will be going for his fourth straight contest.
Former President Mahama won his first term in 2012 beating incumbent Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, he lost the last two polls – 2016 and 2020 – to Nana Akufo-Addo and is widely rumored to be lacing his boots to contest in 2024.
But reacting to the issues, Dr. Amoako said Ghanaians have already seen the performance of the former President, therefore it won’t be wise to present him again, adding that ‘’Except that people are looking up to him because what we expected from President Akufo-Addo is not what we have gotten, but then there is the need because he hasn’t performed to your standard’’.
He explained that “There are many people in the NDC, so why would you still present the same candidate? You don’t know what he can do, is it going to be anything different from before? As a matter of fact, the economic situation is 10 times worse, so how is he going to be able to manage this worse situation?”.
Earlier Winner
A Senior Political Science Lecturer at the Department of Political Science of the University of Ghana, Dr. Seidu Alidu also said it is too early to predict a win for the opposition National Democratic Congress in 2024.
According to him, “On the total score, I think it is too early. You can make these predictions but voter dynamics and issues may erupt and change the whole election. The President just started the second term he still has almost four years so a lot of things can happen. So even a week to elections an event may happen and change the dynamics”.
Ben Ephson
A Renowned pollster, Ben Ephson also advised John Mahama to ditch his running mate in the 2020 polls if he wants to win, adding that the former President cannot win the elections with the former Education Minister partnering with him.
He said “Mahama would have to repackage himself because a Mahama with the same running mate is going to be difficult [to win 2024 general elections]. He may have to form an alliance or perhaps, pick one of the [NDC presidential contenders] as his running mate.”
He explained further that, “…where Mahama is, he has the advantage of being marketed already. And Mahama with all his body language looks like he is retaining his running mate for 2020 [general elections]. If he does, I think he should forget 2024.”
Etse Sikanku, a Political Communications Analyst and Strategist, also said it will be difficult for the NDC to present a new presidential candidate in the 2024 general election because John Mahama is the party’s most marketable option.
According to him “Our baseline forecast is that ongoing public dissatisfaction with the slow pace of improvements in governance – such as infrastructure development, job creation and easing of corruption – will trigger anti-incumbency factors and push the electorate to seek a change,” the EIU says. “The NDC, therefore, stands a reasonable chance of winning the 2024 elections.”
NDC Defense
But an aide to former President John Mahama, Joyce Bawa Mogtari in earlier reactions said the NDC can win the 2024 polls with Mr. Mahama as their flagbearer.
According to her “The NDC party is a very democratic one that any individual willing can contest and if you remember in 2020, President Mahama beat resoundingly all of his opponents to lead the party and I have watched the body language of the current executives, I have watched how our party faithful react to him, I have observed how many Ghanaians have watched how he has stood up tall in many ways.
“As the statesman, he is, as the patriotic individual he is, people believe he deserves a second term, to at least even if nothing, to bring to bear and to complete the processes he started which were truncated by the New Patriotic Party (NPP),” Ms. Mogtari asserted.
NPP Fires
However, Buaben Asamoa, Director of Communications of the NPP, in a statement issued said the prediction by the EIU on the 2024 elections favored NPP rather than NDC because they were better placed in all indicators mentioned in the report on which political party could win the next elections.
BY Daniel Bampoe