The presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama says his party structures are currently being consulted on his choice of a running mate.
Mr. Mahama has recently come under pressure to disclose who his running mate would be as election 2020 draws near.
The former president in a Facebook live session on Thursday, June 18, 2020, disclosed that his campaign team, running mate and party manifesto will be finalised soon.
“Following the easing of restrictions, I have requested our functional executive committee to arrange a meeting of the Council of Elders and the National Executive Committee (NEC) to finalise my constitutional obligation to consult these bodies on the choice of my running mate. We have also agreed on our choice of the 2020 campaign team and will announce this shortly. Our manifesto committee is also wrapping up its work and we expect to launch our 2020 manifesto in August.”
COVID-19 period not best time to name running mate – Mahama
John Dramani Mahama at a previous digital conversation said there was no use in naming a running mate to contest with him in the general elections amidst the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in Ghana.
During a live Facebook session to interact with the public on Thursday, April 30, the former president indicated that the NDC will announce his partner at the appropriate time.
“We are on track. We are not behind time. The party is working assiduously. I have a firm idea who I want my running mate to be and we would name him at the appropriate time. We have timelines that we are working on. We have to build up our national campaign team. We have to name and outdoor our running mate. We have to publish and inaugurate our manifesto. These are all timelines that the party is working on. We are not late at all. The deadline for naming our running mate will be when the Electoral Commission opens nominations somewhere in September and so we do have enough time,” he said.
He continued, “But in the midst of COVID-19, what is the use of naming a running mate? You can’t even outdoor him. The President is encouraging all of us to stay at home and this is not the most opportune time to come out and name your running mate. After I’ve done consultation at the appropriate time with the National Executive Committee and the Council of Elders, we will bring the person; the person who will be worthy of being the NDC’s running mate and who will a significant contribution to the progress and prosperity of this country.”
