Konadu laughs off Mahama-Zanetor ticket suggestion

Former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings has laughed off suggestions that her daughter, Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, would be a good running mate for Mr John Mahama should the former president win the flag bearer slot of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to run for president in the 2020 general elections.

Amidst a gust of laughter and a shoving off gesture with her left hand when the Mahama-Zanetor ticket proposal was directly put to her by Paul Adom-Otchere on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana programme on Tuesday, 28 November 2018, Mrs Agyeman-Rawlings, who recently launched her book ‘It Takes A Woman’, told Paul: “Don’t come to pull my legs here”.

A couple of weeks ago, a Senior Political Science Lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr Kwesi Amakye tipped the Klottey Korle MP as a very good candidate to partner Mr Mahama for the 2020 presidential ticket of the biggest opposition party.

Dr Amakye told Class91.3FM’s 12Live news programme on Monday, 19 November 2018 that Dr Zanetor “has what it takes to partner former president Mahama in 2020”.

In his opinion, such a move will be “a strategic card to play”.

Dr Amakye added that Dr Agyeman-Rawlings “will make a good choice”.

He added that such a strategy will be “a tough card and a very powerful one”.

Dr Amakye, therefore, wants discussions to focus on “her competence and capacity” and related matters.

“We need to acknowledge that the lady has what it takes,” he added, as he pointed out that a running mate role will bring added benefits to the NDC party.

Meanwhile, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings had said she was "willing" to support the NDC, the party her father, former president Jerry John Rawlings founded, to win the 2020 general elections by serving in "whatever capacity".

Asked directly by Moro Awudu, host of Class91.3FM's Executive Breakfast Show at the party's 9th National Delegates Congress grounds if she was ready to partner Mr Mahama as his running mate into the 2020 polls should the former president win the flag bearer slot of the party, the medical doctor-turned-politician said:

"You're asking a tricky question, which I mustn't answer because I am not the one to decide who his running mate should be should he emerge as the flag bearer".

"So, I think to answer that question would be a bit premature", she said.

Following the very first report of the possible Mahama-Zanetor ticket, the former president’s campaign team described the media publication as false.

A statement signed by Mr Mahama’s spokesperson James Agyenim-Boateng on Wednesday, 7 October 2018, asked the public to disregard the speculations.

"Former President John Dramani Mahama has become aware of speculations about his choice of Running Mate for the 2020 Presidential elections.

"We wish to state that the reports are false."

"Mr. Mahama is presently focused on both his NDC flag bearer campaign and his official duties.

"Therefore, Ghanaians should disregard all such conjectures", the statement said.