Mahama took a high risk by appointing Prof Naana Jane as running mate in 2020 – NDC top official

Mahdi Jibril, the Deputy Director of Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has commended former President John Dramani Mahama for appointing Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as his running mate in the 2020 elections.

Jibril emphasized that this move was the highest risk the former president took at the time, considering the prevalent perception that women may face challenges in leading the country.

"Appointing Jane Naana, Prof, as the running mate in 2020 was one of the highest risks the political party took.

“Bigger parties are scared to use a woman to go into elections due to the widespread belief that they might not secure enough votes. Some questioned whether the public would have confidence in a woman to lead the country in the absence of the president,” he said.

Speaking in an interview on TV XYZ, on March 8, 2024, he elaborated on the fears surrounding the selection, noting, "There was a lot of fear, but John Mahama, who believes in human capacity regardless of gender or religious background, chose her."

Jibril argued that Mahama's confidence in selecting Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang was not only a testament to her capabilities but also a challenge to societal norms.

Despite the NDC's loss in the 2020 elections, Jibril emphasized that Mahama's decision to continue with Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as the running mate for the 2024 elections is crucial for the party's image.

He argued that if Mahama had not chosen her again, it would have negatively impacted the party's standing.

"Many were questioning whether John Mahama would still hold on to that belief after we lost the elections... If he had not chosen her again, that would have affected the party big time," Jibril added.

The National Executive Committee of the NDC officially settled on Professor Opoku-Agyemang as the party’s running mate for the impending 2024 general elections.

AM/SARA

Click here to follow the GhanaWeb General News WhatsApp channel

You can also watch the latest episode of Everyday People on GhanaWeb TV below: