Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, a leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the man who has been penciled by many political analysts as the next flagbearer, has been causing a lot of waves in the party, especially with reports that he was likely to contest the sitting President, John Dramani Mahama, when the party goes to congress.

Dr. Spio-Garbrah has subtly downplayed his interest in contesting the 2016 elections, but The Chronicle can state on authority that he has not abandoned his presidential ambitions.

Sources close to the NDC party say Dr. Spio-Garbrah could spring a surprise, should the leadership decide to open the doors at congress for interested candidates to contest the 2016 flagbearer position of the party. The Spokesperson for Dr. Spio-Garbrah, Kweku Ampah, told The Chronicle on Monday that he had still not abandoned his presidential ambitions, in spite of his decision not to contest the 2016 elections.

“He still has his presidential ambition alive,” he told The Chronicle. Kweku Ampah, however, calmed some nerves in the ruling party, with a statement which suggested that his boss was not likely to contest John Mahama at congress.

“Dr. Spio-Garbrah wishes it to be known, especially to NDC members and supporters, that he is not involved in any campaigns, and not testing the waters for a leadership contest in 2016,” he noted. The hot issues, splitting nerves in the ruling party, have had to do with whether John Mahama should go unopposed as the flagbearer in the 2016 general elections.

Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah’s name had come up as the strongest candidate yet to end the Mahama rule should he decide to contest the flagbearership position of the party at congress. Previous media reports suggested that he was testing the waters and consulting in this regard, but his spokesperson, Kweku Ampah, says Dr. Spio-Grabrah has no intension of contesting the 2016 flagbearer slot of the party, as was being speculated.

However, there are diverging views within the rank and file of the NDC over the proposition for John Mahama as the flagbearer of the party in 2016. A group within the NDC party espousing the idea of the John Mahama ticket for the 2016 is of the opinion that John Mahama was the best candidate to match up to the opposition, if it were to retain power in 2016.

The Greater Accra Regional Chairman, Joseph Ade Coker, has led the campaign for President John Mahama ahead of congress.

He has advocated that the leadership of the party allow John Mahama to go unopposed in the 2012 presidential election. But the Deputy National General Secretary of the party, George Lawson, differs on the issue, when he described Mr. Coker’s comment as “irresponsible,” and which has the potential to distract the government’s attention.