A Presidential Aspirant of the National Democratic Congress Party (NDC), Mr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has in recent statement suggested that former President John Dramani Mahama is not good enough to lead the party to victory, come 2020.

According to him, Mr. Mahama in the past had been dented with both an “incompetence” and “corruption” tag?the very label that plunged the NDC to defeat in during the 2016 elections.

Speaking on Accra based TV3, yesterday, Mr. Spio-Garbrah said the delegates of the party do not want a leader who has the tendency of being called corrupt or incompetent.

“We lost the 2016 elections and now the party is reflecting on its losses…the delegates when I asked them what were the reason we lost the elections say…we were accused of being incompetent by NPP and we were also accused by NPP for being corrupt.

“So, I asked them what is the solution to that and they say we must make an effort to find a candidate who is neither corrupt nor someone who can be deemed to be incompetent,” he explained.

He continued: “I’m here to answer to those concerns because by God’s grace in 25 years of serving this country in numerous positions in four ministerial portfolios- Communication, Education, Trade and Industry and Mines and Energy…not a single whisper of financial malfeasance or corruption has been ever reflected or alleged in my direction…The delegates tell me I stand tall.”

Mr. Spio-Garbrah further argues that delegates are calling for a leader who would not be an easy target for their opponents come 2020.

According to him, many allegations had been made against the NDC but are yet to be proven, thus, the party must be circumspect in choosing a candidate.

“NPP is waiting for who we would bring as our flagbearer then they will flag us with the allegations and actual cases that are being reviewed by Martin Amidu and others and then in 2019, instead of us having a positive campaign, we would be spending our time in a reverse exercise of fighting allegations brought against someone,” he explained.

Though Spio thinks delegates are solidly behind him, it has been reported that big wigs of the party have thrown their weight behind Mr. Mahama saying, he towers above any other personality eyeing the seat.



Mahama

This is not the first and obviously not the last verbal lash the former president would receive after making his intention to lead his party in 2020.

Some schools of thought have opined that other flagbearer hopefuls of the NDC are gradually teaming up to rock the boat of Mahama.



They argue that ‘greed’ is what is bringing him back to the seat but others in the Mahama camp say, the former president is seeking another opportunity to redeem his image and to make it up to Ghanaians where is failed.