Remarking on the outdooring of the NDC running mate, Political Scientist, Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante indicated that the Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang’s speech is a true reflection of what a leader ought to be.
He stated Prof. Opoku-Agyemang’s address demonstrated her courage, fearlessness, and astute comprehension of the nation’s challenges, showcasing her preparedness to address them when the occasion arises.
However, he noted that the assertion regarding the potential impact of Opoku-Agyemang’s candidacy on increasing the NDC’s vote share in the Central Region lacks empirical evidence.
He indicated that the premise that the votes cast can be directly attributed to Prof. Opoku-Agyemang is unsubstantiated, as there is no data available to support such a claim.
“All that I am saying is that there are various factors that influence voter choices. One is the economy, infrastructure development, the fight against corruption, the rule of law, unemployment, and a host of others. In addition to energy and energy crisis and how you are going to fix it”.
Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante
He, also stated that the personality of the flagbearer or the running mate is also critical as some voters consider it a factor. He, however, emphasized that personality does not influence most people as there are other factors like constituency-specific issues that take precedence over many other factors.
“If there is a place where they are looking for a market for women to apply their vocation and they don’t find that, they don’t care a hoot about who the running mate or the leader of the party is”. – Dr. Asah-Asante.
Furthermore, he noted that the focus should be on the qualities a running mate possesses that will enable him or her to conduct her duties properly and influence people to follow and support him or her.
He indicated that a running mate selection should not be focused on what value the running mate adds to the ticket in terms of votes, emphasizing that the personality of a running mate is not the only factor that influences voter choice.
The Selection
Moreover, Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante stated that the selection of Prof. Opoku-Agyemang as the running mate on the NDC Presidential ticket was based on her extensive professional expertise.
He added that the widespread recognition she achieved during her tenure as the Minister of Education in the previous Mahama administration also played into her selection.
“You are looking for somebody who can step into the shoes of the President when the President is incapable of continuing his tenure. You are looking at somebody with many constituencies… Apart from her natural constituency in the Central Region, she also appeals to gender groups, academics… All these things will support her to…make the ticket meaningful”.
Dr. Kwame Asah-Asante
Dr. Asah-Asante further emphasized that the commitment made by Prof. Opoku-Agyemang regarding holding accountable those who engage in corruption can be achieved through prioritizing accountability in governance by the leadership.
He noted that Prof. Opoku-Agyemang’s pledge is not a threat as the 1992 constitution demands that the people of Ghana hold leadership accountable for their actions as and when the need arises.
He emphasized the importance of accountability as a fundamental principle of good governance and highlighted the obligation of individuals who have held government positions to account for their actions and decisions while in public service when requested.
“That is not a threat. It’s part of the oils that grease the wheels of governance so that it doesn’t bring it to a halt”. – Dr. Asah-Asante
He stated that the general public will expect the NDC, when given the mandate through the December 7th election, to fully execute measures to combat corruption, hoping that “it is not going to be just a mere talk”.
As such, Dr. Asah-Asante disclosed that Ghanaians will hold the NDC accountable should it fail to deliver on its promises. “Let them remember that what goes round comes round”, he added.
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