Former Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kojo Bonsu, has said that he is the best candidate to win power for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 general elections because he hails from the Ashanti region.
According to the Former KMA Boss, Ghana’s electoral history over the years has shown that elections are won in the Ashanti region. That is, when a candidate wins in the Ashanti region, the probability that he will emerge the ultimate winner is relatively high.
The Ashantis who according to Kojo Bonsu are Ghana’s Kingmakers, want one of their own to be President and so he is NDC’s best bet to pull votes from the Ashanti region so as to win the elections
“If I’m the leader [of the NDC] we’ll win. As an Ashanti, that will bring the vote, it will add on, because Ashanti’s want their own as the leader. [The] data is there, if you get more votes in Ashanti, you win the elections easily. This is no rocket science.”
Kojo Bonsu, NDC Flagbearer Aspirant
Kojo Bonsu speaking on ‘Upfront’, acknowledged that the NDC has other formidable people aspiring to lead the Party. He was optimistic that the Party will work hard to win power in 2024 regardless of who is chosen as Presidential candidate. However, he noted that “it will be easier if I lead.”
This comes after Former Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Kwabena Duffour, formally launched his campaign to lead the NDC yesterday, November 3, 2022.
Dr. Duffour indicated that the current economic challenges has informed his decision to contest.
Meanwhile, while Dr. Duffour launched his campaign yesterday, some leading members of the NDC who already indicated their support for President Mahama took to social media to share photos of the Former President.
Former Presidential staffer in the erstwhile Mahama government, Stan Dogbe, was probably the first to share a photo of President Mahama.
The photo of a neatly dressed President Mahama was shared on Stan Dogbe’s facebook wall with the caption, “still the presumptive Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Some analysts including ace Journalist Paul Adom Otchere described the sharing of photos of President Mahama on social media yesterday, as a panic move.
Certainly, the race to be leader of the NDC is on. The political space will be very exciting in the days ahead.
Kojo Bonsu Speaks on the Other NDC Aspirants
The Former KMA Boss indicated that the time is due for him to run for President insisting that he was not threatened by the candidature of any of the other aspirants.
Kojo Bonsu mentioned that even though the Former Minister for Finance, Dr. Kwabena Duffour is equally fit to lead the Party, he is not threatened by him at all.
He noted that because Ghana is practicing democracy, Dr. Kwabena Duffour was in his rights to contest.
Asked about the Former President, John Dramani Mahama, who appears to be the choice of many within the Party’s leadership, the Former KMA boss still said he was not threatened.
“He’s my former boss, I give him the greatest respect. I know the good things he has done but this is democracy [so] give democracy a chance. I’m not threaten by him, I’m going into a competition so I’m not threatened by anybody.”
Kojo Bonsu, NDC Flagbearer Aspirant
Apart from the fact that Former President Mahama is widely known in the country than any of the other candidates, the Former President has made more public appearance in recent times giving him some sought of a leverage over the other candidates.
On 25th October, 2022, for example President Mahama held a public lecture to offer alternative economic policies to aid Government solve Ghana’s ailing economic situation.
Before that, he had been granted audience on numerous international platforms and often tours the length and breadth of the country
To say that President Mahama is the Party’s presumptive Presidential candidate is an understatement because to many within the rank and file of the Party, President Mahama is more or less a President in waiting.
Even though President Mahama has all these credentials under his sleeve, Mr. Kojo Bonsu is still optimistic that he will be elected Party flagbearer.
The Former KMA Boss indicated that “the World can change tomorrow, nobody knows tomorrow,” insinuating that the choice of delegates can change with time. According to him, what matters is the message candidates have for the people.
“It’s my message and the things that I’m telling the people that will change the voters mind,” Kojo Bonsu said confidently.
He revealed that should he be selected as the NDC’s Party’s candidate, he will choose his running-mate from the Volta region.
He said Voltarians have done a lot for the NDC and so they deserve to lead the country.
“[The Volta region] is NDC’s backbone, they fortify us. They are always there for us. So I think the Voltarians deserve a President or a Vice-President.”
Kojo Bonsu, NDC Flagbearer Aspirant
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