The National Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress has said the party is ready to rally behind ex-president John Mahama if he decides to contest the 2020 elections.
At a time when prospective flagbearer aspirants are complaining about favouritism, Kofi Adams told Joy News’ Emefa Apawu the party will offer an unflinching support to Mr Mahama when he decides to contest.
He was reacting to the controversial communique issued by ten regional chairmen of the party appealing to the former president to contest the 2020 elections.
The ten chairmen in a communique issued Thursday said they;
“Invited the former president to, as a matter of urgency, embark on the delayed and much awaited “Thank you tour” to the supporters of the NDC for supporting him through his tenure and the party over the years.
“Called on HE John Dramani Mahama to consider the request of teeming supporters of the NDC and Ghanaians to lead the party to the 2020 General elections.”
But that communique has provoked a lot of controversy within the party.
Some flagbearer aspirants and their supporters fear the communique will give undue advantage to the ex-president.
Former Member of Parliament for Ablekuma Central, Theophilus Tetteh Chaie said the call by the chairmen was misplaced and in bad taste.
“We have regional chairmen whose conduct has made the party lose several seats in some of the regions. Greater Accra Region is part of it. Central Region is part of it.
“This is the time for the regional chairmen to sit down and assess what led to the defeat in these regions and help reorganize the regions.
“People should not behave as if they love the former president more than any member of the party,” he told Joy News.
He would rather the party structures concentrated on building a formidable party rather than throwing its weight behind one candidate.
“Let us restructure the party at the grassroots and then the people themselves will come out and choose their leader. What we are trying to do is we are trying to shut the door on others who have intentions to contest.
“Nobody should be fighting for the former president,” he said.
But Ade Coker, one of the party chairmen who appended his signature to the communique, denied assertions the chairmen endorsed the ex-president.
He charged the critics to take their reading lessons seriously.
“The communique is explicit. I don’t know why we are making a hue and cry over all this thing. People should read. We make Bawumia have some justification. People are not reading,” the Chairman said.
When Joy News called the National Organiser of the party to respond to the communique and matters arising, Kofi Adams said the party is ready to support the candidature of Mr Mahama.
He does not think the communique gives an unfair advantage to the ex-president.
“The truth of the matter is that his Excellency John Dramani Mahama has an overwhelming support from within the party and without.
“With or without such an endorsement anytime he makes his intention known I believe strongly the party will rally behind him,” he said.
According to Adams, the party people have problems with the executives and appointees and not the ex-president for which reason it will not be out of place for the ex-president to be supported.
The party will be going to Congress next year to elect new party executives as well as flagbearer ahead of the 2020 elections.
Already a number of names are popping up for the flagbearer positions.
