The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu has questioned the value the running mate of the 2020 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress brings to the ticket of the party.
According to him, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has a good character but lacks the required qualities to improve the chances for candidate John Dramani Mahama in the 2020 election.
After months of anticipation, John Mahama yesterday, July 6, 2020, named former Education Minister, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang as his running mate for the 2020 polls.
But the Suame lawmaker sharing his view on the issue to the media in Parliament today, July 7, 2020, said if former John Mahama wanted a woman, Hanna Tetteh or former Attorney General, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong could have been a better option.
According to him, both have demonstrated some level of competence.
“If he [John Mahama] wanted a woman, when they were mentioning some women who have demonstrable competence who have risen through this House to establish themselves firmly in the feminist [arena], one such person could have been Hanna Tetteh. She has been an MP before, she has been a Minister for Foreign Affairs. So she has learned the rules, so she could have complimented the [ex] President Mahama. The former Attorney General is also there– Marietta Brew. She is also a solid lady. But you ask yourself what value is this woman [Prof. Opoku-Agyemang] bringing to that ticket, and that’s where I find it extremely difficult.”
“I mean the woman is a calm woman, a woman of poise and speaks good English, but is it good enough to satisfy the ticket to ensure quality improvement in the governance? And let’s not forget, perish him that, If John Mahama becomes the president and the next day he is no longer [alive], is this woman capable of being described as the president? This has nothing to do with her personally but we are talking about quality in governance.”
In Kyei Mensah Bonsu’s estimation, a lawyer or an economist would have been a better compliment for Mahama.
He thus said the former President could have also chosen either Dr. Kwabena Duffuor or Dr Nii Moi Thompson.
“For a ticket, John Mahama is a communicator so you want a person who is a lawmaker or a lawyer who will add value to the governance architecture. He himself has been a Member of Parliament before, so to be fair, one could say that he has acquired that experience from Parliament. But in terms of the economy, how are you going to impact the economy, which is why maybe, you need a mate who is an economist to be with you. A person who is short in that field [could be dangerous] because that ticket is to play the role of a generalist to exhibit versatility in a manner that when it comes to legal matters, you have some control and economic matters you have some control on it. So when I first heard, I thought there were going to decide on Dr. Duffuor or Nii Moi Thompson because they are economists and finance experts with considerable standing to complement the ticket–either of them could have done it.”
Mahama’s running mate not a threat to NPP
On the same issues, a Deputy Campaign Manager for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2020 elections, Dr. Mustapha Hamid, has also said the selection of Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as running mate to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer does not pose a threat to the electoral fortunes of the NPP.
According to him, the NPP’s campaign will be on Mr. Mahama and not his running mate.
Dr. Hamid said, “our campaign is focusing on candidate Mahama, not his running mate.”
“Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang will not be a threat to the NPP at all,” he added.
‘’It’s a battle of what he did in four years and what Nana Akufo-Addo has also done within the same period.”
