The choice of a running mate has been very instrumental in the numerical strength of political parties. Choices based on science and data deliver results. The flag bearer and the Council of Elders of the NDC are expected to make a prudent choice that supports scientific data and not the emotions of a few. The party stands a great chance of victory in 2024 and beyond if the right choice of a running mate is made with both progressive-ideological leverage and numerical strength to partner H.E. John Dramani Mahama.
It is trite that the NDC has won the hearts of the Ghanaian public for the past three years. This is partly as a result of the NDC’s visible performance in government, and also as a result of the extreme thievery, bigotry, corruption, arrogance, and the non-performance of the Nana–Bawu administration.
Civil society, progressive moral society, the business class, the middle class, and dissenting voices have been able to decipher the differences between the two major political parties, and have settled on the NDC as a progressive nation-builder. They see the NDC as a party that uses public funds for public benefit, whereas the NPP uses public funds for personal comfort and family business. They again see the NPP as tribal bigots who loot public funds with both hands and feet whenever they get the opportunity to steer the affairs of the country. Despite all these realities, what actually wins elections is deeper than the cosmetic acknowledgements and the failure of the party in power. Winning elections requires real work and properly defined strategies which are executed timeously.
Elements within the elephant fraternity keep asking the question, “Why is the NDC presenting H.E. John Dramani Mahama again, instead of looking elsewhere”? They also say that H.E. John has seen it all; from Assembly Member to the Presidency. They keep asking what else JM would be doing since he has exhausted all his ideas and efforts in government. Shockingly, some members of the umbrella share these views but for their affiliation.
YES, H.E. John Dramani Mahama has seen it all. He travelled from Assembly Member to a President. He has implemented a vision which saw a macroeconomic improvement at the level of social infrastructure, which has been beneficial to all. He had some more touch on the micro economy with greater prospects before he exited power in his first term. The question to ask is, had Ghanaians given him a second term to complete his national service, what would have been his total scorecard? When he was forced out with malicious propaganda, what has been the state of Ghana’s economy today? JM has been a consistent leader and would have done best if he had been given a second term. He actually deserves a second term to seal his developmental legacy.
YES, H.E. John Mahama has seen it all with loads of governmental experience in both times of crises and times of abundance. He is the best person so far to help salvage this country from its present human-imposed devastating conundrum. Nana-Bawu have destroyed almost all institutions by extreme politicization and mismanagement; they have corrupted every aspect of the economy; they have looted every seeable asset; they have run-down and sold to themselves state-owned organizations; and as a result, the country is currently in a state of quagmire. The country is barely on its feet begging for resuscitation. It only requires experienced, selfless and committed hands to salvage it. H.E. John Dramani Mahama fits this position, and has only four years to do so.
YES, H.E. John Dramani Mahama has seen it all but his experienced hands needs legitimacy and continuity. The legitimacy comes from the people of Ghana. The continuity comes from his choice of a future leader as a Running Mate. A charismatic, young, vibrant, strategic individual who has both professional and grassroots organizational capabilities, and is also familiar with the political terrain. A running mate who is a true-blooded party person who perfectly understands the ideals of the party which includes PROBITY, ACCOUNTABILITY and TRANSPARENCY. Someone who can wage his own campaign in support of the flag bearer without difficulty. Someone who can hold and defend the legacy of H.E. John Mahama, unlike we see in the failed ruling administration where Ministers (Alan et al) and Vice President are openly distancing themselves from the quack legacy and performance of Nana Addo. Someone who can succeed and lead after the 4-year term of H.E. JM without the party crumbling, but rather winning from victory to victory and ensuring unadulterated development of mother Ghana.
The choice of a Veep must be someone who has the ability to canvass the support of a whole region or two as his personal base, in support of the numerical strength of the flag bearer. The flag bearer has his own base, but requires the numerical strength of the Veep candidate to boost his winning chances. A good example is H.E. John Mills and H.E. John Mahama in 2008 polls. Mr. John Mahama polled massive votes from the Northern enclave as his base to support the entire votes of Prof. John Mills. Another example is H.E. Nana Addo and H.E. Bawumia in 2016 and 2020 polls. The data indicates that, Bawumia made some gains for Nana Addo up North.
The NDC as a party needs a strong mobilizer as a Veep to canvass serious votes from both his base and other areas to support the figures of the NDC in order to clock the 50% plus one vote. Our Northern figures keep dropping and that has a toll on our general accumulated figures. Since the party’s northern votes keeps dropping, it is prudent to consolidate the party’s votes in its ‘World Bank’- the Volta region, and other strategic regions such as Greater Accra which has the potential of determining who becomes President. The party must wake up from its slumber and do the needful.
The data doesn’t support Prof. Jane’s quantitative additions to the NDC numbers. In the last elections, the NDC lost quantitatively in the presidential votes in the Central Region, the home of our mother Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang. Figures available from the Central Region indicates that the NDC lost the Presidential elections in 19 Constituencies out of the 23, the region of Prof. Jane the 2020 running mate. In the same region, the NDC moved from 4 Parliamentary seats to 13. This means the Parliamentary Candidates were even more popular than the astute Prof. A strategic party can never trade an obvious pending victory with the same weak-link. The party needs to win and win convincingly in the 2024 polls.
The NDC party today needs more than a religious, a gender or a tribal ticket. The party needs natural strategic organizers; charismatic enough to move the base of the NDC and the people of Ghana, professional enough to move the middle class and to manage government business, and philanthropic enough to cater for the welfare of the country and party loyalists.
The choice of a running mate should not dampen the spirit of the party and the spirit of floating voters who are looking for a true and sustainable succession; a succession that inspires hope for 2028 and beyond; a succession that is visionary enough to build on the ‘Ghana We Want’ series for a better future.
In conclusion, a good choice of a running mate shall sustain the victory patterns of the NDC. It shall energize the base of the party to work even harder. Prof. Jane is not suitable for the Veep position now.
Long live the truth!
Lawrence Lamptey
(The Scientific Socialist)
Lamptey2016@yandex.com
0247251024