The National Democratic Congress (NDC) will pick its presidential candidate for the 2020 elections by the close of 2018.

Party General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, said the NDC constitution enjoins it (party) to elect its flag bearer two years ahead of elections when the party is in opposition.

The NDC was massively floored in the 2016 elections by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) with a gap of over one million votes, which dazed the party’s candidate, John Dramani Mahama, who was then the sitting president.

Mr John Mahama has not officially announced his candidature for the party’s flagbearership race, but there are strong indications that he is going to be in the contest.

Other likely faces in the race are Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, former Trade and Industry Minister; Sylvester Mensah, former presidential staffer; Joshua Alabi, SSNIT Board chairman, among others, who are all lacing their boots to challenge Mr Mahama for the slot.

Mr Asiedu Nketia, fondly called General Mosquito, stated categorically that the NDC would strictly adhere to this important provision in the party’s constitution.

“By the close of next year, which is 2018, our presidential candidate for the 2020 presidential elections, would have been elected. Our constitution instructs us to do so, and that is exactly what we will do,” he stressed.

General Mosquito, who was being interviewed on UTV, announced that prior to the election of the presidential candidate, the largest opposition political party, would elect all other party executives from down to top.

“Hopefully, before the election of the flag bearer, the party would have conducted elections at branch level, constituency level, youth congress, women’s congress, foreign branches and national level to elect our party executives.”

He disclosed that the party had instituted an election committee, which is currently planning the roadmap, which would ensure the smooth election of the NDC executives and eventually the flag bearer.

Swerves Defeat Question

The NDC chief scribe, who freely spoke on a wide range of issues concerning the party, refused to answer when he was asked about what led to the NDC’s embarrassing defeat to the NPP during the 2016 elections.

“I have told the Prof. Kwesi Botchwey Committee about what led to our defeat to the NPP in 2016, and I am not prepared to say it here again,” was his answer when the host of the show leveled the question against him.

General Mosquito stated that the Prof. Botchwey Committee had admonished the party to strengthen its branches, train its members on the core principles of the party, among other suggestions.

CJ Coup

Mr Asiedu Nketia openly admitted that indeed, when the NDC was in political power, at a point, it tried to pile excessive pressure on the then Chief Justice, Georgina Theodora Wood, to resign, but to no avail.

“Some agitated NDC groups organized a series of press conferences and called for her sack from office. This is an open secret. But Prof. Mills, who respects the law, stood firm and ensured that she stayed in office,” he confessed.

Block Factory

General Mosquito, who hails from Seikwa in the Brong-Ahafo Region, admitted that indeed he owns a block factory, but he was quick to dispel wild rumours that his factory supplied blocks for the construction of the Bui Dam.