Mahama ‘didn’t lose’ so nothing disqualifies him from running again – Asiedu Nketia

Former President John Mahama is qualified to run for the flag bearer slot of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) again since nothing within the party’s constitution disqualifies him from doing so, General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has said.

“He was one of the people who contested the presidential primaries and won and proceeded to lead the party in the general election and the party claims he did not lose. So, if he decides to come back, there’s nothing within the party that disqualifies him,” Mr Nketia said in an interview.

In much the same way, he noted that all the other former flag bearer-aspirants or people who have an interest in running for the first time are allowed to do so when the time comes.

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“The party does not impose candidates or the leadership of the party does not impose candidates,” he said, adding: “We allow the structures to make their decisions and we implement the decisions.”

Recently, Builsa South Member of Parliament, Dr Clement Apaak, said no other person but former President Mahama must lead the NDC into the 2024 general election.

In his view, Mr Mahama was robbed of victory in the 2020 elections through dubious means, thus, must be allowed to be the automatic flag bearer of the party.

“There is no way the NDC would’ve had in excess of 137 seats in the eighth parliament of the Republic of Ghana if not because we campaigned on the record of the NDC and the specific track record of our flag bearer John Dramani Mahama,” Dr Apaak told Joshua Kodjo Mensah on Class91.3FM’s 505 news programme on Wednesday, March 17, 2021.

“So, on this basis, I believe, and many believe that the man has been denied the mandate which was accorded him by the people by persons put in position by his competitor to do just that and on that basis, there wouldn’t be the need to spend time, resources and energy trying to find somebody to lead us into 2024,” he argued.

According to him, “the man who won, who was denied his mandate, must be the one that we should present.”

Mr Mahama lost the 2020 election to President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Unsatisfied with the results, the former President filed a petition at the Supreme Court to challenge the results.

The apex court eventually upheld the results as declared by the Electoral Commission. Mr Mahama disagreed with the judgment but said that it was legally binding on him.