Flagbearer race - NDC needs strong competition – Spio-Garbrah

Flagbearer aspirant of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah is calling for strong competition in deciding who emerges the Presidential candidate of the party for the 2020 general elections.

According to him, the largest opposition party has not had competition in the two previous elections which saw ex President John Mahama being elected as the party’s Presidential candidate.

“NDC needs competition, in 2012 we agreed to have no competition, in 2016 we agreed to have no competition. We cannot be a party where every time we only correlate people but we don’t allow competition. Competition is good for the party, it’s good for the candidate because it pushes us to give our best. If you don’t have competition in your party when you go to the national elections you’ll also lose because you’ve not tested the ground, you’ve not actually activated your members. It’s like a farm where the activation has not taken place and you’ll find that you don’t have a bountiful harvest,” Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah told Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Thursday.

He further urged members of the NDC to vote for a presidential aspirant who can serve two presidential terms if the party wins power.

The former Trade Minister is expected to compete with Prof. Joshua Alabi, Alban Bagbin, Sylvester Mensah and ex President Mahama who’s yet to make his intention known, but will very likely contest.

According to Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, he’s been spurred on to become president after several leaders he worked with in the past told him his passion for the country will make him a better leader for the country.

“All those who have worked with me in one way or the other have asked why I don’t have Presidential ambitions. To them, I have something to offer. The late President Mills on a number of occasions suggested that I become a leader one day. President Mills said in 2003 said, “When I become president in 2004, Ekwow Spio-Garbrah will be the first person I will appoint as Minister. He told me in the presence of others that if at any time he can’t continue with the Presidential race, I was the only person, he would have supported if I decide to run for the presidential race,” he said.

He further noted: “The NDC needs a presidential candidate who can lead the party to rule 2 terms in office. I joined the Central Region Unity Walk. One is not obliged to join unity walk in other regions. At least I joined the one that happened in my region. Some have gone to Unity Walks for Exercise, others go because of other personalities. “There are some who join the walk to see other members of the party and engage them in a way or the other. I think it is good that Ex-President Mahama is still available and is making time to help unite the party through the unity walks”.