The flagbearer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama, is expected to officially unveil his running mate for the 2020 presidential elections today July 6, 2020.
John Mahama is expected to present either former Education Minister, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, a former Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr Isaac Bannerman Nii Moi Thompson, a former Minister of Health and Deputy Campaign Manager for the 2020 elections, Mr Alex Segbefia or a former Finance Minister, Dr Kwabena Duffuor as his choice of a running mate to the National Executive Committee (NEC).
Sources say among the shortlisted candidates, Prof Opoku-Agyemang stands tall ahead of Alex Segbefia and Dr Nii Moi Thompson.
Prof Opoku-Agyemang
NDC sources say John Mahama is likely to settle on Prof Opoku-Agyemang and also break the cycle of male running mate and getting more females into mainstream political decision-making in line with the party’s policy.
If confirmed by the NEC, Prof Opoku-Agyemang, who is regarded as a woman of integrity, will become the first female running mate of the two leading political parties in the country [NDC and NPP].
Prof Opoku-Agyemang, appears to be in a pole position among all with her gender, record as the first female Vice-Chancellor of a university; the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and a trained journalist.
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The source said Professor Opoku-Agyemang’s association with the NDC began as far back as 1996 when, as the hostess of the popular Radio Gold programme, ‘Platform’, she interviewed then-President Jerry John Rawlings in the build-up to the 1996 presidential election.
The interview was so effective that many believe it was a major contributory factor to the landslide victory that President Rawlings won over John Agyekum Kufuor in that year’s election.
She also co-hosted the 2012 Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) sponsored presidential debates.
The source said John Mahama looks forward to changing that and demonstrate his commitment to naming a woman as his running mate.
That, the source said, which had also been confirmed by multiple sources within the NDC, made Mr Mahama to take time in naming his running mate as he (Mahama) had to sell and get the buy-in of the movers and shakers in the Party. “JM firmly believes that the time has come to make real change. And he is confident that there are many women in the Party who have what it takes to lead the country forward,” another source stated.
