Former President Mahama says the governing New Patriotic Party is scared of a contest between himself and whoever leads the NPP for the 2020 general elections.

Speaking at a session during a tour of the Northern Region, the former President said he’s at a loss as to why several members of the New Patriotic Party keep suggesting that John Mahama as flagbearer of the NDC will spell doom for the largest opposition party in 2020.

He ponders why the governing NPP are worried about the NDC fielding a candidate they [the NPP] claim is ‘easily beatable’.

The suggestions, Mr Mahama insists, could only be a move by someone or a group of persons who are scared of the outcome of the 2020 elections with John Mahama as flagbearer of the NDC.

“Often you hear them say oh, but NDC don’t you have people and then you say why they say but the former President why are you bringing him back, if you bring him we will win, we will defeat you. Then you say ah, but is that not what you want? Don’t you want to defeat us? …It’s like two teams playing football and you tell me that if I put this goalkeeper, you’ll score me but of course you want to score me. So the only reason why you’re saying I shouldn’t put the goalkeeper[in the team] is that you’re afraid of that goalkeeper”, he said to a loud applause from the audience.

John Mahama is one of 13 candidates who have expressed interest in leading the opposition National Democratic Congress into election 2020.

The former President is the frontrunner in the race which some say is a make or break for the party. Former UPSA Vice Chancellor, Joshua Alabi, former Trades Minister, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, former NHIA boss, Sylvester Mensah and 2nd Deputy Speaker Alban Bagbin are some of the contenders likely to make an impression in the party’s primaries.

Background

The Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana on December 9, 2016 declared the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Presidential Candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo, the winner of the 2016 elections.

The NPP Flagbearer finally secured the presidency after the third time of asking, beating the incumbent, President John Mahama.

Nana Akufo-Addo rode on the back 53.85 percent of the valid votes cast to become Ghana’s fifth president under the fourth Republic.

President Mahama, who ran on the ticket of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), secured 44.40 of valid votes cast.

President Mahama’s defeat made him the first incumbent to lose an election since Ghana returned to multi-party democracy in 1992.

The NPP Flagbearer had already acknowledged the concession of five of six other contenders some 48 hours to the official declaration of results by the Electoral Commission.

The candidates of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Dr. Edward Mahama, the National Democratic Party (NDP), Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, the Progressive People’s Party (PPP), Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom and the independent candidate, Jacob Osei Yeboah, all called him to concede the election. These five candidates all secured 1.76 percent of votes cast.