Kwabena Duffuor should go unopposed - NDC executives

A group of Branch Executives of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) are calling on the party’s leadership to arrange for former Finance Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor to go unopposed in the party’s upcoming presidential primary.

In a statement released in Accra and signed by group spokesman, Mr. Francis Anyidoho, a Duffuor candidature was sold as the NDC’s most winsome ticket for the 2024 presidential election hence the call.

“There is no doubt that 2024 is for the NDC to lose; however, the surety of victory lies in a strategic candidate that has no character flaws that the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) can exploit,” the statement said.

It added that, “of all the persons who have either put themselves up for election or have been tipped to do so, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor stands tallest in this regard and therefore should be given the ticket as a matter of strategy.”

The NDC has not yet fixed a date for its presidential primary however rumours abound that that may happen in March 2023.

So far, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor who is also a former Governor of the Bank of Ghana and former Mayor for Kumasi, Kojo Bonsu, are the ones who have made intentions clear that they will run for the 2024 ticket.

However, Kojo Bonsu has dismissed as utterly lacking the clout and cachet to lead the NDC and win power for the party.

Recently, a stalwart of the party, Dela Coffie, revealed that former President John Mahama’s influence within the party has dwindled and that  60% of people within the NDC are craving a Duffuor candidature.

The Branch Executives asking for Duffuor to go unopposed referenced this claim by Dela Coffie who had said the statistic was thrown up from a survey conducted by the 'Ghana Democracy Forum' on 'Clubhouse'.

Fresh polls put Duffuor ahead of Mahama to lead the NDC. An overwhelming demography of NDC voters, and those who backed the Mills bloc hold the belief that the NDC needs a new leadership approach to issues. Indeed, six in ten people in the NDC support the calls for Dr Kwabena Duffuor to lead the party into 2024 general elections,” Dela Coffie had written on social media.

In addition to this survey, the Branch exectives also pointed to the survey by the UK based Economist Intelligence Unit which had said the NDC was in pole position to win the 2024 election but will need to change its candidate.

“The EIU is to be taken seriously because it has the track record. It predicted Mahama’s win in 2012 and Akufo-Addo’s win in 2016 and 2020,” the Branch Executives added.

They urged the party to, “put all sentiments aside and put on track the party’s interest.”

They also called on former President John Mahama and former Mayor, Kojo Bonsu to, “graciously bow out of the race for Duffuor in the interest of the party’s future.”