Flag-bearer hopeful of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, says the ongoing Unity Walk by his party is not part of the recommendations made by the Kwesi Botchwey Committee.

Dr Spio-Garbrah, who claimed he had not seen a copy of Kwesi Botchwey’s 445- page report since it was submitted to the NDC’s national executives on Monday, June 19, 2017, though not against the unity walk, insisted it was not part of the recommendations made by the 13-member committee chaired by Professor Kwesi Botctwey.

He made these observations while speaking exclusively in an interview with Today at his Adabarka office in Accra on Wednesday, May 9, 2018

It will be recalled that after the NDC’s defeat in the 2016 election, the party set up a 13-member committee led by Prof Botcwey to find out what accounted for its massive defeat to the then flag-bearer of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), now President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Among the recommendations by the committee after six (6) months of work were for the NDC to embark on a ‘healing tour’ across the country, restore the integrity of the party’s biometric register and expand the party’s electoral college.

But Dr Spio-Garbrah, who served under former President John Dramani Mahama as Minister of Trade and Industry, said he was yet to see any of those recommendations being implemented.

He was, however, hopeful that NDC will recapture power from the NPP in 2020, but was quick to add that, that would depend on the person the party will present to Ghanaians.

According to him, his vast experience in both public and private life makes him a better candidate than all those who have shown interest in the NDC presidentialrace.

He was confident that the delegates will place their last bet on him, come somewhere in November this year when the party meets to elect its flag-bearer for the 2020 election.

Equally, he was not perturbed about some party executives in the national, regional and constituency levels including some Members of Parliament (MPs) of the NDC who had already declared their support for former President Dramani Mahama who is yet to make his political future known.

“My brother [referring to our reporter], why should I be worried about those who say they are for Mahama? It is normal for them, particularly, the MPs since in the last election, Mr Dramani Mahama held their hands on campaign platforms and asked their constituents to vote for them,” he said.

He added, “in any case former President Dramani Mahama hasn’t said he will contest or not, so why should what people do for him worry me,” he said.

Dr Spio-Garbarh, who also said he believes in competition, was optimistic that there would be a level playing field for all the contestants in NDC presidential race.



That, he said, would make the party become more united after the contest in November.

He hinted that more people may join the race when the party opens nominations.

To this end, he called on his supporters to remain focused and work hard so as to ensure victory for him.