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General News of Tuesday, 5 February 2013

Source: New Statesman

Who could replace Mahama in 2012 re-run?

In anticipation of the Supreme Court decision which could invalidate the results of the 2012 general election, reliable information gathered by the New Statesman indicates there is uneasy calm within the ranks of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) over who to replace John Dramani Mahama as Presidential Candidate.
According to sources close to the party, the possibility of sending to battle a discredited candidate who will be seen in the eyes of Ghanaians as someone who allegedly rigged an election in order to become President does not appeal to the big wigs in the NDC.
“The tagging of President Mahama by the opposition New Patriotic Party, in the aftermath of the Supreme Court ruling, will be one of criminal. The NPP will certainly describe President Mahama as a criminal and it is likely that the Ghanaian public will buy into this propaganda.
"The NDC cannot carry this baggage into re-run of the election, and as such we have to think of changing President Mahama for a newer and ‘cleaner’ candidate,” a source close to the NDC told the New Statesman.
Names of potential flag bearers picked up by the New Statesman include Alban Bagbin, Member of Parliament for Nadowli West and one of the “three wise men” in the NDC; Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, former Minister for Foreign Affairs and the 2004 running mate to the late John Evans Atta-Mills and Kwesi Ahwoi, outgoing Minister for Food and Agriculture and yet-to-be-approved Interior Minister.
Another member of the “three wise men” fraternity, Enoch Teye Mensah, and Ekwow Spio Garbrah, who is currently the Chief Executive Office of the Action Faith Ministries, are also in the running to replace President Mahama as NDC Presidential Candidate.
The New Statesman is reliably informed that campaign materials of the above mentioned personalities are already in production, printing agencies contracted to come out with paraphernalia ahead of the proposed NDC presidential primary.
Sources at the NDC headquarters have told the New Statesman that in anticipating a Supreme Court ruling in favour of a re-run of the election, NDC primary to elect a new leader in the stead of John Mahama will have to take place within a matter of two weeks so the party can effectively campaign with a relatively “newer candidate”.
The choice of a newer Presidential Candidate, according to the NDC, will have to be done as quickly as possible so counteract the effect a Supreme Court ruling will have on the possibility Nana Akufo-Addo emerging as victor in the re-run of the election.