The National Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Buaben Asamoa, has revealed that former President, John Dramani Mahama, does not have anything more than the IMF to offer Ghanaians.
Rejecting portions of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)’s report which placed the the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) as the winner in the next general elections, Mr Asamoa contended that the NDC’s loss in the 2016 and 2020 general elections is a testament to the party’s inability to govern the country and offer it what it truly needs.
“Since John Mahama wanted the IMF and his party’s leadership have discredited the IMF, he hasn’t come back to the public to tell us his views, whether or not he is taking us to the IMF or he has other things in mind. We believe that he doesn’t have anything more than the IMF to offer the people of Ghana and if the IMF is not the solution, then the eight-year cycle will not be automatic, it will be based on the quality of leadership and that we have in abundance”.
Yaw Buaben Asamoa
The incumbent NPP in an earlier statement, welcomed the Economic Intelligence Unit’s five-year forecast for Ghana’s 2024 general election. It indicated that the EIU’s analysis introduces “a new and significant” factor to Ghana’s eight-year political cycle. Although the EIU cites slow governance progress as another reason for change in 2024, the NPP believes its cumulative record in the 4th Republic shows more promising results than the NDC’s.
On his part, Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch Newspaper, Ben Ephson, revealed that former President John Mahama doesn’t stand a chance of winning the 2024 election if he maintains his running mate, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang.
Reacting to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)’s prediction that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is likely to win the 2024 elections, he explained that a survey he conducted indicated that if a flagbearership election is held by the NDC now, Mr Mahama would win.
“If today… the NDC held a flagbearership contest, I think Mahama will win. In a year’s time, I am not sure… Clearly, if Mahama wins the NDC flagbearership slot and he is not going to change his running mate, he is going to have difficulties in 2024”.
Ben Ephson
Mr Ephson equally expressed that Mr Mahama has a lot of grounds to cover, which he explained, is one of the reasons he lost in the 2020 elections. In lieu of this, he urged the former President to change his strategy for 2024 to ensure a win during the next elections.
“I mean NDC getting about 28, 30 seats of the 32 seats… and Mahama loses by 540,000 votes tells you that there was something Mahama was doing wrong. One of it was his inability to be consistent on the Free SHS”.
Ben Ephson
Former Deputy Minister rejects EIU report
Prior to this, former Deputy Minister for Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, rejected portions of the EIU 2022 report which suggested that the opposition party can revitalise the prospect of victory with a fresh presidential candidate. Mr. Kwakye Ofosu affirmed that former President John Mahama will be on the ballot paper in the 2024 election.
The former Deputy Minister for Communications stated that it won’t make sense for the party to waste resources in changing him because he resonates with the rank and file of the party. He explained that the NDC only has to correct whatever went wrong in the 2020 elections to ensure a smooth victory.
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