28 out of the 33 constituency youth organizers of the Eastern Region have announced a decision to grant NDC flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, their full support regarding his choice of running mate.

The group, responding to some recent calls on the flagbearer to change Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as running mate, have indicated their full faith and trust in the leader to nominate the best choice of candidate as his running mate to clinch victory for the NDC in the 2024 polls.

This comes on the back of recent comments by some members of the NDC in the Eastern Region, including the Eastern Regional NDC Youth Organizer, Richard Etornam Nyarko, insisting that the flagbearer must necessarily change Prof Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang in favour of former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, as his running mate going into next year’s elections.

The group is of the opinion that such attempts to stampede and coerce John Mahatma into making a hasty decision must be condemned, as such a decision could prove injurious to the party’s fortunes at the 2024 polls.

However, speaking to GhanaWeb in an interview, the other factions in the Eastern Regional Youth Wing resisting the pressure from their organiser, argue that, “The analogy that a change in running mate would by all means culminate into victory for the NDC is weak and baseless.

"For instance, in 2012, then candidate Akufo-Addo made a choice of Dr. Bawumia as running mate. Even though they lost in that election, he maintained his running mate who had by 2016 been heavily marketed and subsequently went on to win the election. This was because there was stability within the leadership and the general populace were convinced that the Flagbearer was sure of the capabilities of his running mate. Therefore, the decision as to whether or not to change the running mate must be based solely on the flagbearer’s own objective assessment and not the parochial interests of any individual or group of people.”

It will be recalled that in a recent press release by the former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, he indicated that he was not interested in filling such a role and called on the rank and file of the party to rally behind their to select a competent running mate of his own choosing.

The constituency youth organizers in the Eastern, even though differing on the person to fill the slot of the running mate of the party for the 2024 presidential elections, are in agreement, calling on all members and supporters of the party to exercise utmost confidence in John Dramani Mahatma to nominate a competent running mate in the interest of the party.

AE