John Mahama wins Ghana’s opposition presidential primaries

Ghana’s largest opposition get together has chosen the nation’s former president, John Dramani Mahama, as its flagbearer for the 2024 presidential election.

Delegates of the Nationwide Democratic Congress (NDC) voted in primaries over the weekend to decide on a candidate for each the presidential and parliamentary polls.

Mahama was declared the overwhelming winner after polling 98.9 per cent of the votes whereas his challenger, former Kumasi mayor Kojo Bonsu, scored 1.1 per cent.

The previous president was tipped by most political analysts to win the first based mostly on his expertise and affect within the opposition get together.

“He has been tried and examined and comes with lots of expertise,” mentioned Kwame Asah-Asante, a political science lecturer on the College of Ghana.

This confidence in Mahama was echoed by most of the greater than 355,000 NDC get together delegates who converged at 401 voting centres throughout the nation over the weekend for the poll.

“I consider if NDC takes energy, a lot of the issues which we Ghanaians need, NDC can come do it for us. For example, taking good care of our kids. The opposite aspect promised us a lot which they had been unable to fulfil,” mentioned marketer Kafur Addo.

He says he believes that if the NDC involves energy, the get together will fulfil the guarantees they’ve made.

The primaries come as Ghana holds talks with the Worldwide Financial Fund (IMF) over a $3 billion bailout to assist overcome an financial disaster, and because it faces a rising jihadist menace from a battle in neighbouring Burkina Faso.

Analysts consider Mahama will doubtless capitalise on the financial disaster dealing with the nation in his presidential marketing campaign, and delegates have faith in his skills.

“I consider in John Dramani Mahama. He has been a president earlier than. He has been a vice-president earlier than and he’s a communicator too. So, there isn’t any approach the sitting president can do one thing for us,” mentioned businessman Joshua Rockson.

“We now have given him eight years now and there’s nothing we’re seeing now. However with John Dramani Mahama, he can flip issues for us. That’s why we consider in him. That’s why we’re right here to vote for him.”

The ruling get together of incumbent President Nana Akufo-Addo will maintain its personal primaries in November, and the presidential election is scheduled for 7 December 2024.