Politics of Sunday, 26 March 2017

Source: Rashid obodai Provencal

Attacks on former prez Mahama recipe for another defeat in 2020-Sidii Abubakar

National Youth Organizer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sidii Abubakar says he has observed with regret, the unsavory comments from some big wigs within the party against former president John Dramani Mahama.

According to him, if the attacks on the former president persist, they may lose the elections in 2020.

He said those making the comments do not deserve to make them against former president John Dramani Mahama because they were part and parcel of the problem that caused their defeat.

He said each and every leading member of the party making these allegations, has played a role in the 2016 elections.

Mr. Boateng Gyan who is lambasting the former president was a leading member of the former vice president’s campaign team and played a critical role. Koku Anyidoho was also a member of the former chief of staff's campaign team. Dr Kwabena Adjei also played a key role, so why are they blaming Mr. Mahama?

Sidii Abubakar added, some of these individuals sat at high level meetings with the former President hence it, makes no logical sense to attack him.

President John Dramani Mahama has been widely lambasted by some members of his own party; some have described him as incompetent and a failed leader who surrounded himself with persons who could not even rent their own homes.

But the youth leader says all the attacks are needless, unwarranted and a recipe for another defeat in 2020.

He asserted that, former president Mahama ‘’is the most important person as far as the NDC is concerned. He is the most important person who can lead the party at this critical moment.’’

Speaking in an interview with Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, he said if the party wants to win power in 2020, then all those attacking Mr. Mahama must stop.

‘’The blame game is neither here nor there. To me, I would have wished that each of them with all this attacks on the president-should stop attacking him. He is the most important person in the party now…He is the only one who can lead the party if we really want power in 2020. Anything short of that, I am telling you that we only experimenting 2020.’’

The youth in the party he warned, cannot sit down for more than four more years because ‘’we want to come back to power in 2020. We want the party to come to power in 2020.’’

According to him, those trying to put fear in Mr. Mahama and prevent him from coming back in 2020, have been able to amass enough wealth that can take them for 8 years but the youth of the party cannot afford that and will resist any such attempt.

‘’We will not sit down and allow the constant attacks on Mr. John Dramani Mahama.’’

In his view, the NDC would have a herculean task in selling former president Mahama should he emerge as candidate for 2020 at congress.

‘’If we go to congress and he emerge as the flagbearer, we are going to waste time and try to polish him. So why don’t we stop the attacks. They are unwarranted, and there is no other potent person than Mr. Mahama for the 2020 elections. He is the best person for the party at this critical moment. We don’t have anyone better than him…Winning an election is not an individual job. It is teamwork and every one of us must come together and work together for that victory. If there is a failure, we must see it as a collective responsibility.’’

Sidii Abubakar stressed that, both the former president and party officials have learnt from their mistakes hence the attacks must stop once and for all.

‘’We must put our parochial interest aside and accept defeat instead of blaming the former president. It is unfair.’’

The party he emphasized will come out more united because the situation will die down since all that needs to be said have been said.

‘’Ghanaians are waiting for us to take over. Many are regretting what happened in 2016 and the only way we can assure them that we are ready to take over, is to stay united.’’

He concluded by encouraging former president Mahama to stay focus since the youth of the party are solidly behind him.