President John Mahama
The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) is once again running away from the Presidential Debate to be organized by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).
They are saying the ruling party will only allow President John Mahama – who is seeking a re-election – into a debate if it is organized by the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE) in collaboration with the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).
It was President Mahama’s newfound ‘appetite’ that appeared to have rekindled the call for a presidential debate frequently organized by the IEA; but the NDC after claiming to have the bragging rights, has said it won’t participate in the think-tank’s contest.
President Mahama is suddenly showing newfound ‘appetite’ for the exercise, claiming he is ever ready to go into a one-on-one contest specifically against Nana Akufo-Addo, but as the IEA has once again provided the platform, the NDC says it won’t be part of it.
NDC General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia confirmed on Joy FM yesterday that the IEA should count President Mahama out of its presidential debate series.
He said the ruling party was preparing its 2016 flag bearer to participate in another debate to be jointly organised by the state-owned Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE).
“Since we have already committed ourselves to another debate that is being organised by GBC, we are unable to participate in that debate,” he said.
Mr Asiedu Nketia claimed the IEA pleaded with the NDC to allow President Mahama to participate in the debate and said he could only assure the institute that their concerns would be carried to the National Executive Committee of the NDC for deliberations.
NDC Boycott
On June 21, the NDC served notice that none of its candidates would participate in any debate organised by the IEA ahead of the general election, citing biases.
The NDC had earlier raised red flags over the IEA’s decision to hold a separate debate for flag bearers of the two leading political parties – NPP and NDC.
IEA Efforts
IEA Executive Director Jean Mensa last week expressed optimism about persuading the NDC for the Presidential Debate Series slated for 8th November, 2016 in Tamale, Northern Region and another in Accra later in the month, saying, “We are hoping that all four parties with representation in parliament will participate.”
However, she accused Communications Minister Edward Omane Boamah of blocking President Mahama’s participation, saying the Minister failed to execute a presidential directive to liaise with the institute for the debate.
She said the minister had failed to open discussions with the IEA despite a clear directive contained in a letter written by the president’s secretary.
“…Although we haven’t received a firm confirmation from the president’s office, we’ve received letters from his office asking us to start discussing modalities with his team. They want us to start discussions. The letters were signed by the secretary to the president asking us to start discussions with the Minister of Communications.”
She explained that several efforts to get the Minister to begin the process had proved futile.
Unholy Alliance
A DAILY GUIDE source says the NDC wants the NCCE to organize the debate where the party would have the chance to pull strings behind-the-scenes, but the NPP says it is even too late for such an exercise since the party has a laid-out programme to follow before the elections.
By William Yaw Owusu