Mahama has already selected running mate but…

The most authoritative newspaper on the John Mahama household, as well as issues bordering on happenings in the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has revealed that the opposition party’s Presidential candidate, has already selected his running mate for the 2024 election.

The paper admonished those lobbying for the party’s running mate slot either by themselves or their agents to “stop wasting time lobbying for the NDC Running Mate position”.

Names that are currently making the rounds, include former Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah; former Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority, Sylvester Mensah; former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra, Joshua Alabi, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, National Chairman of the NDC.

Some also mention the former BOST Managing Director, Kingsley Kwame Awuah Darko; former Chief Executive Officer of Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Alex Kofi Mould; and former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Eric Opoku.

The Daily Post in its Monday, July 31, 2023 edition, indicated that Mr Mahama is only waiting for next year to make public who the person is, after consultation with the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

According to the newspaper, “the recent claim by a privav  te newspaper of the NPP stock that the NDC is engaged in an extensive consultative process to determine the most suitable replacement for Prof Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman who was Mahama’s Running mate in the 2020 election is hogwash. No such thing is going on”.

“Mahama is going to introduce his running mate sometime next year and it is going to be someone who will not only help him to win the 2024 general election but also complement him to restore the respect and integrity of the Presidency”.

The Daily Post cited the rift between the late Jerry John Rawlings and his 1992-1996 Vice- President, Kow Nkensen Arkaah and suggested cordiality, security amongst others had played a key role in the selection process.

“The person who will be his running mate in the 2024 election should be the choice of no other person than Mahama himself in consultation with the NEC of the party.

“Having been President before, and by that position privy to all kinds of security reports, Mahama has more knowledge of most of the names that are being bandied about than those who are bandying them about.

“He is therefore in the best position to determine who is suitable to be his running mate and later, Vice-President. And per our checks, he has already decided who that person will be.

Below is what the Tema-based Daily Post published on Monday

Mahama’s 2024 Running Mate is……

It is unfortunate that soon after the May 13, 2023 primaries of the NDC which saw Former President John Dramani Mahama elected by the overwhelming majority of NDC delegates as the 2024 flag bearer of the party, some started campaigning and clamouring for their preferred choice to become his running mate.

These campaigns are taking place in the traditional media as well as social media in various forms. While some wannabe running mates have given their tacit approval to these campaigns, others have no knowledge about them.  And it is obvious those behind the campaigns are doing so for their own parochial interest and not the interest of the party or the flag bearer who will be working closely with this individual.

The outcome of the President Rawlings/Vice-President Kow Nkensen Arkaah relationship should be enough lesson for anyone within the NDC to want to foist on Mahama his or her preferred choice as running mate. The person who will be his running mate in the 2024 election should be the choice of no other person than Mahama himself in consultation with the NEC of the party.

Having been President before, and by that position privy to all kinds of security reports, Mahama has more knowledge of most of the names that are being bandied about than those who are bandying them about. He is therefore in the best position to determine who is suitable to be his running mate and later, Vice-President. And per our checks, he has already decided who that person will be.

The recent claim by a private newspaper of the NPP stock that the NDC is engaged in an extensive consultative process to determine the most suitable replacement for Prof Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman who was Mahama’s Running mate in the 2020 election is hogwash. No such thing is going on.

Mahama is going to introduce his running mate sometime next year and it is going to be someone who will not only help him to win the 2024 general election but also complement him to restore the respect and integrity of the Presidency.

With that settled, NDC activists and the wannabe running mates should re-direct their energies to highlighting the corruption and open thievery that has engulfed the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-led NPP government. To continue trying to lobby Mahama for a particular person to be his running mate when he already decided who that person is will be tantamount to helping the NPP shift the attention of Ghanaians away from their corruption, thievery and arrogance that has become their hallmark.

Source: Daily Post