After a series of broad consultation with stake holders the main opposition party, National Democratic Congress (NDC), has announced Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, as its running mate for the December polls.

The issue of who will be the running mate to the flagbearer of the party, former President John Dramani Mahama has been a subject matter for enquiry in the political discourse of the country for some time now.

The debate over who becomes the running mate for the NDC became intense after the ruling New Patriotic Party last week announced President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr Mahamadu Bawumia as its ticket for the December polls.

Indeed, there was pressure from the public for the NDC flagbearer to make known his running mate.

Bu the former President had remained adamant to announce his running mate with the reason that he did not find it suitable to the sensitivity and sensibility of Ghanaians to rush into naming his running mate when the country was grappling with a COVID-19 pandemic that has taken a toll on the population.

To him then, his primary focus was to help fight the pandemic, and as Ghanaians Times would have guessed, there is time for everything!

Indeed, the time has now come for the public that had been gripped with anxiety, to know that former Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast and former Minister of Education has been given the nod to partner her boss at the December polls.

Certainly, this is the first time that any of the two main political parties, the NPP and the NDC, since the inception of democracy in 1993, has picked a woman as running mate.

Ghanaian Times believes that the choice of Prof. Opoku-Agyemang is based on merit rather than any other consideration, since she has endued herself creditably in the development of the country, especially in the education sector.

We note that women empowerment has come of age and deserving women like Prof. Opuku-Agyemang are capable of occupying high offices in the country.

Ghanaian Times commends the university don for catching the eyes of the party’s stakeholders for this enviable position of a running mate.

It is our fervent hope that Prof. Opoku-Agyemang will enliven the political discourse in the country, with issue-based discussions, as we gear into the heat of electioneering.

With the presidential candidates and the running mates of the NPP and NDC viewed as the forerunners in Ghana’s political contest, the stage is now set for real battle, the battle for ideas to get the mandate to rule the country.

We do not downplay other political contenders, except to say that Ghanaians are also waiting with abated breath for their candidates contesting the December polls.

As we inch closer to the elections, Ghanaian Times salutes all contestants and ask for nothing but decorum and decency in the political debate for the discerning electorate to make informed choices for their leaders.