NDelegates of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) across the country will today head to the polls to elect a flagbearer for the party ahead of the 2020 presidential elections.
The party supporters face a daunting task of selecting one among seven aspirants who are all campaigning to lead the party in 2020 after the party’s abysmal performance in the last presidential elections in 2016 which saw incumbent John Dramani Mahama being unseated by then opposition leader, Nana Akufo-Addo.
Today’s voting is expected to take place across several polling stations in all the 16 regions after the exercise was postponed three times due to various reasons.
Even though seven stalwarts of the party are fighting to get the single slot, many believe that it is a mere formality for former President Mahama since the whole process has been ‘skewed’ in his favour by the leadership of the party from day one.
John Dramani Mahama: Served as Vice President and President of Ghana, as well other ministerial positions, and was a longstanding MP for Bole before he became the vice president. He became president following the sudden death of President John Evans Atta Mills in July 2012 and went on to win a controversial election in December of that year.
He, however, lost the 2016 election to President Akufo-Addo, making him the first sitting Ghanaian president to lose an election.
He is the clear favourite and has the backing of majority of almost all the NDC MPs, former MMDCEs and other key figures in the party.
He said he is contesting the primaries to hopefully lead the party to victory in 2020 to ‘correct the wrongs’ of the past and “end the cries of the people under the current government.”
Alban Kingsford Sumana Bagbin: Is currently the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament and a former Minority Leader. He served as Minister of Health, Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing under late President Mills. He has been the MP for Nadowli-Kaleo since 1992.
His campaign messages focuses on strengthening the grassroots of the party ahead of the 2020 elections
Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah: Occupied several ministerial positions under the Jerry John Rawlings, including Communications, Education Ministries. Under the Mahama NDC administrations, he was the Trade and Industry Minister.
He contested the 2006 flagbearer election of the NDC against the NDC leader Prof Mills and managed only 8.7 per cent of the votes. He said he is determined to unseat Mr. Mahama and bring total change to the party and the entire country.
Prof. Joshua Alabi: A former NDC Member of Parliament for the Krowor Constituency is the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), rector of the same institution and pro-rector.
He is the immediate Board Chairman of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT). He was once a Greater Accra Regional Minister and later Northern Regional Minister during the Rawlings regime.
He says he is a driving force in the NDC, and he is focusing on empowering the grassroots so the NDC can come back to power.
Sylvester A. Mensah: Former MP for La Dadekotopon, a former regional executive of the NDC and a former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA) under Mr. Mahama.
His campaign is aimed at ‘renewed hope’ in the NDC ahead of the 2020 elections.
Goosie O. Tanoh: He is a founding member of the NDC, a former Executive Director of Finance and Administration of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC). He was the founder of the erstwhile National Reform Party (NRP), a splinter group from the NDC and a former special aide to former President Rawlings.
His campaign messageis built on probity and accountability, which he believes will bring the NDC back to power.
Nurideen Iddrisu: He is a banker, a businessman, oil and gas consultant and a politician. He considers himself a true activist of the NDC and has supported numerous party activities, including financially supporting the 2012 and 2016 presidential election.
He has called on delegates to choose competence and commitment over money, bemoaning the monetisation of politics in the country.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak& Paul Dalafu