-Begins talks with NDC chieftains and kinsmen

The aL-hAJJ has picked up strong indications that the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho is earnestly eyeing the presidential ticket of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).

As a result of the burning ambition of the 57- year-old astute lawyer and former Ave-Avenor legislator, who in recent times acted as president in the absence of President Mahama and Vice President Amissah Arthur, he is said to have begun series of consultations with different segments of the society particularly NDC stalwarts from his native region, the Volta.

Impeccable information gathered by The aL-hAJJ suggests that some kingpins of the ruling party are of the strong opinion that after President John Mahama’s second term in office, it would be the turn of the NDC’s stronghold to produce another candidate and possibly, president of Ghana.

To give this agenda a big foremost boost, party insiders narrated to this paper how some sections of the Volta caucus of NDC have zero in on the Speaker of Parliament to succeed President Mahama after his possible second and final term which should come to an end on January 7, 2021.

The Wlitey-born Speaker of Parliament, who studied at Accra Academy and continued at University of Ghana where he obtained LLB degree in 1984 before proceeding to the Ghana Law School where he trained to become a Barrister at Law in 1989, was the first and only Member of Parliament to have been elected speaker by his peers in Ghana’s parliament.

Until his elevation to the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Edward Doe Adjaho worked at the Attorney General’s department before turning to politics where he was elected Member of Parliament for the then Ave-Avenor and now Akatsi South constituency until January 2013. He was also a member of the Pan African Parliament.

In accordance with article 60, clause 11 of the 1992 constitution, Speaker Doe Adjaho was sworn in as acting president on Thursday, September 19, 2013 when both President Mahama and Vice-president Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah Arthur were out of jurisdiction.

Mr. Adjaho’s less than three days reign on the single most important seat in Ghana, according to sources close to him, have bolstered his long- cherished ambition of becoming the face of the Volta region after former President Jerry John Rawlings.

Party insiders say promoters goading on the former Ave-Avenor MP have since been analyzing his strength and possible faults including the age factor and are highly convinced he would be suitable before the 2020 elections. The speaker will be less than 65 years by then.

Information gathered by The aL-hAJJ revealed that there are suggestions by some party kingpins for Mr Adjaho to contest President Mahama at the NDC’s next primaries to elect flag bearer for the 2016 elections.

Whiles those coming up with that suggestion are convinced the Speaker won’t triumph over President Mahama, they nevertheless, think Mr Adjaho staking a claim to the presidency now would adequately prepare him for 2020 in which case he would have been well marketed to demolish any opposition in any internal contest.

A source has confirmed to this paper that though, the Speaker is yet to decide on whether to contest President Mahama ahead of the 2016 elections, he is tentatively considering leading the NDC into the 2020 elections and has even started touring districts in the Volta region and meeting with elders.

But the astute legislator’s desire to be the icon of the NDC’s stronghold after Jerry Rawlings seems to be facing stiff opposition from another veteran legislator and legal luminary of the Volta land.

Mr. Ken Dzirasah, who was MP for South Tongu and one time first deputy speaker of Parliament and now Chairman of the Refugee Board, though not too fit for active politics, is reported to be battling Mr Adjaho over who becomes the ‘face’ of the region.

The contest between the two veteran legislators and legal brains is said to have divided the Volta region along Dzirasah and Adjaho lines. Stay tuned.