Former Ghana High Commissioner to the UK Victor Smith has advised the opposition National Democratic Congress to retain former President John Mahama as flagbearer in the 2020 polls if they want to return to power.

He, however, believes all the current executives of the party must be kicked out in order to enhance the party’s chances of winning power again.

“If NDC wants to win 2020, there is no better candidate than John Mahama. If we want to just try 2020, then we can afford to put forth a new candidate so if he doesn’t win, he can be advertised for the future. But if we want 2020, what we need to do is to present him,” he said.

He added: “we should change the whole guard. We should start with some die-hard selfless people… I think he [Asiedu Nketia] has been there long enough. We should just clean the stables,” he told Citi FM Thursday.

Although Mr. Mahama has been coy on in his interest in the flagbearship of the umbrella family, he has met his former appointees and national executives of the party.

Meanwhile, a suspected flagbearer hopeful of the party Dr. Ekow Spio Gabrah has said Mr. Mahama must be given the first offer of refusal ahead of the race.