Kwesi Ahwoi, the former Ghana High Commissioner to South Africa, has advised the Vice Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to be ready for potential leadership roles.
He hinted at the possibility of her ascending to Ghana’s presidency should the need arise.
Ahwoi drew parallels to the unforeseen event of President John Atta Mills’ passing in 2012, which unexpectedly thrust John Mahama into the presidency.
Speaking at a party to celebrate the nomination of Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyeman as running mate to John Mahama, Kwesi Ahwoi emphasized the unpredictable nature of politics and the need to be prepared for any eventuality, using her own motto, ‘Be ready,’ as a guiding principle.
He said, “John Mahama was not prepared to be president at that time, but nature skewed things such that President Mills gave way to him.”
“So Naana be prepared. Like your motto says, ‘Be ready.’ Anything can happen and you can become the President of Ghana.”
John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills was the third president of the Fourth Republic, following Presidents Jerry John Rawlings and John Agyekum Kufuor.
Mills served as Rawlings’ vice president from 1997-2001 and lost the 2000 and 2004 elections to Kufuor and his New Patriotic Party (NPP).
After his electoral triumph in 2008, Mills became the first post-colonial African head of state to be democratically elected from a previous ruling party after another won a fair election without a coup d’etat.
Only three and a half years into his first term, President Mills unexpectedly passed away three days after his 68th birthday and was succeeded by his vice president, John Dramani Mahama.
