Former Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister, Joseph Yamin has described former President John Mahama as a threat to Nana Akufo-Addo’s presidency, hence the attempt by some element within his party to prevent the former President from contesting the 2020 general elections.
Some MPs of the ruling party have given away the game by publicly stating what the cabal’s stand that as far as they are concerned the country’s constitution bars the former President from seeking a second term in office.
On Monday, November 6, 2017, taking his turn on TV3’s morning programme, ‘New Day’, the NPP MP for Effutu, Hon Afenyo Markin stated “as to whether he (Mahama) is eligible to contest again is another debate on its own which will be handled in the future.”
The NPP MP for the Akim Swedru Constituency, Hon Kennedy Nyarko Osei, in a post on his facebook wall echoed same sentiments “Those advising the former President to contest again should read the constitution well. He cannot contest any election again because the constitution is clear. Though the former President did only one term, he is now a former President and statesman who enjoys all the privileges and courtesies of a former President and we cannot vary any of his privileges and benefit to his disadvantage. Therefore, the moment he decides to contest again, those privileges and courtesies must be withdrawn which the constitution does not allow so in principle, he cannot present himself again to be voted into power.”
But the former Deputy Youth and Sports Minister on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Morning Show averred that he had a good laugh when he heard the intent of the ruling NPP, concluding that former President John Mahama is a threat to Nana Addo and the NPP in the 2020 election.
“When I heard that issue I said that John Mahama is a threat to Nana Addo Dankwa and the NPP in 2020 elections. They know Mahama will certainly win the 2020 elections which is why they want to stop him from contesting again. They see something great in him and so they are plotting any means necessary to stop him from achieving that aim for the second time,” he reiterated.
He chided that “the ruling New Patriotic Party members are behaving like witches who have discovered greatness in a baby and they decide to kill him before he grows, but John Mahama has passed that stage in his life; it is impossible to kill him now.”
“No matter what they do, he will come back. John Mahama will come and he is not only coming back but he is coming to win the 2020 election and take over the steer which Nana Akufo-Addo is driving to the ditch and turn it back unto the right track,” he emphasized.