Some grassroot supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)have on Monday, 3 December 2018 queued at the office of former President John Dramani Mahama at Cantonments, Accra to contribute their little to fund the former president’s GHS400,000 filing fee.

This comes as MPs4Mahama, a group of 96 Minority Members of Parliament who have declared their support for Mr Mahama’s bid to run for the NDC flag bearer slot ahead of the 2020 general elections, has so far mobilised 603 pledges of GHS1,000 each towards footing the filing fees of Mr Mahama.

The NDC’s presidential primary is slated for 19 January 2019.

Sources close to MPs4Mahama tell ClassFMonline.com that the group has so far raised GHS600,000 through its “Operation 420 people willing to contribute GHS1,000 for JM” campaign.

Apart from the 603, the immediate-past Ashaiman Constituency Chairman of the NDC, Shaddad Umar Jallo, has also promised to pay half of the GHS400,000 filing fee for former president John Mahama.

According to Mr Jallo, his decision to support the former president is borne out of love for him coupled with his ability to win political power for the NDC in the 2020 elections.

In an exclusive interview with Class News’ Ibrahim Obeng-Mensah, Mr Jallo refuted an assertion that the flag bearer race is now for the highest bidder.

Explaining further, Mr Jallo argued that all aspirants who cannot raise the GHS400,000 filing fee are not eligible to lead the NDC to be president.

“When I heard about it, I said it’s good because the party needs money to run the party. If somebody likes John Mahama in this country, I’m the first person because I used my 4 x 4 car and branded it John Mahama because I want John Mahama to come back so we can take power from the NPP in 2020.

“Nobody can take power for the party in 2020 than John Mahama. Because of that, this GHS400,000, I Shaddad Jallo, I’ll make sure that I’ll pay half of that money for John Mahama because I love him, I want him to come back to take power for us in 2020.”

Furthermore, a group of spare parts dealers at Abossey Okai has also pledged to pay half of the amount for Mr Mahama.

The NDC at its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday, 29 November at the party’s headquarters in Accra, resolved that all male flag bearer aspirants are expected to pay GHS400,000 as filing fee while female flag bearer aspirants are to pay GHS200,000 and persons with disability aspiring to the same position are to pay GHS150,000.

Critics, including some of the flag bearer aspirants, have slammed the “exorbitant” filing fee.