General News of Tuesday, 18 April 2017

Source: mynewsgh.com

NDC’s defeat was caused by presidential hopefuls within - Alhaji Limuna

Former Minister for Food and Agriculture Alhaji Mohammed Muniri-Limuna Former Minister for Food and Agriculture Alhaji Mohammed Muniri-Limuna

A former Minister for Food and Agriculture Alhaji Mohammed Muniri-Limuna has disclosed that the loss of former President John Dramani Mahama at the party at the December 7, 2016 polls could be self-inflicted.

He disclosed in an exclusive interview with mynewsgh.com that the possibility that some elements within the party were sabotaging the then president for him to lose in order to pave the way for their presidential and vice presidential ambitions cannot be ruled out.

“I would not rule that out and I would not want to say that publicly. If I get the opportunity in any meeting that is indoors I can raise it. There were people who wanted John to fail so that they could push their agendas of being presidents, vice presidents and whatever”, he stated.

According to him, there are a lot of key members within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who are nursing ambitions to lead the party in 2020 insisting that John Mahama remains the best bet for the party in 2020.

“He is the one who is spiritually and physically capable to lead the party to victory in 2020. It is either John Mahama or no one else. My prayer however is that he should accept to go as our candidate in 2020 despite claims by his family he will not run again”, he told mynewsgh.com in an exclusive interview.

Alhaji Limuna said the former president per the constitution is still qualified to run and if successful rule for another four-year term indicating that he has contributed immensely to the development of the country just that Ghanaians have failed to show gratitude and his track record will be largely depended on for the 2020 campaigns.

Names like Former Ministers of Communications, Dr Edward Omane Boamah; Employment and Labor Relations, Haruna Iddrisu; Roads and Highways; Inusah Fuseini; Education, Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang; Foreign Affairs, Hannah Serwah Tetteh; Trade and Industry; Dr Ekow Spio Gabrah; Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, former Minister of State and Mahama Ayariga, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations, are all reported interested in leading the NDC into the 2020 election.

Others reported to be interested in leading the party after Mr Mahama’s reign include former Ministers of Youth and Sports, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuije; Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur; former Brong Ahafo Minister, Eric Opoku; former Central Regional Minister; Kwaku Rickett Hagan; former Minister of State at the presidency, Rashid Pelpuo; and former majority leader and now 2nd deputy Speaker of Parliament; Alban Kingsford Sumane Bagbin.

The likes of immediate past Senior Policy Adviser and Head of Presidential Delivery Unit, Dr Valerie Sawyer; former MP for La Dadekotopon, Nii Amasah Namoale; former Chief Executives of NHIA, Sylvester Mensah; COCOBOD’s Dr Stephen Opuni; Eco Medical Village’s, Dzifa Aku Ativor; former KMA boss, Kojo Bonsu; 1st vice Chairman of NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo; former Minister of Health, Alex Segbefia; MP for Klottey Korle; Dr Zanetor Rawlings; Anlo MP; Clement Kofi Humado and former vice President, Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur were also reported to be interested in the post.