Information and Media Relations Minister, Mahama Ayariga, has said that as far as the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) is concerned, “it’s clear that John Dramani Mahama will be our Candidate” for the 2016 elections.

A similar suggestion made by the party’s Greater Accra regional Chairman, Joseph Ade Coker, a few days earlier, drew sharp criticism from a colleague executive, deputy General Secretary, George Lawson, who described Mr. Coker’s lobby for the president as “infantile” and “irresponsible”.

Mr. Lawson, who described the call as “sycophantic”, told XYZ News the party ought to concentrate on delivering the party’s campaign promises rather than jumping the gun to start campaigning for the president ahead of the 2016 elections.

However, discussing a similar clamour in the main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the 2012 presidential candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to go for a third try at the presidency, Mr. Ayariga said unequivocally that there was no doubt President Mahama will be the party’s 2016 Candidate.

According to Mr. Mahama, “God willing, John Dramani Mahama will be our candidate”.

He told Joy FM’s news analysis programme ‘newsfile’ that: “The issue is, who will emerge from the NPP to face President John Mahama and I’m telling them that, instead of focusing on the personalities, they should rather look at the delivery of John Dramani Mahama and that should tell them who they should put up because Ghanaians are looking for a president who is delivering and President Mahama will deliver. He’s been working on it and he will deliver. Once he delivers, that will define their candidate and the issues of their candidate”.