NDC Flagbearer race: Join forces to contest Mahama – Ephson to aspirants

Pollster Ben Ephson has advised the four other Flagbearer aspirants of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to merge and present one candidate if they want to stand a chance against ex-President John Dramani Mahama.

Former President John Dramani Mahama over the weekend declared his intention to contest the Presidency in the 2020 general polls.

This, however, will happen should he be elected again in the party’s primaries as the Flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC). In a Facebook post, Mr. Mahama lauded the NDC’s re-organization efforts, which he reiterated has raised the party’s morale.

“The zeal and determination of the average sympathizer of our great party is greater and miles ahead of what it was after the December 2016 Elections. We need to keep up with the momentum generated and follow the published timelines.

“To you the teeming supporters and sympathizers calling and requesting me to declare my intentions for the future, I wish to assure you today, that as a servant-leader, I have listened to your calls and reflected. I will not disappoint you even as we await the publication of the party’s guidelines for selecting a new leader,” Mahama wrote.

He will face stiff opposition from the likes of Ekwow Spio Garbrah, Prof. Joshua Alabi, Alban Bagbin, and Sylvester Mensah.

However, Ben Ephson who’s also the Managing Editor of the Dispatch Newspaper said the other candidates will perform abysmally if they should contest Mahama individually.

“In terms of chances, I believe now the race lines have been drawn and I’m sure maybe the others may be talking among themselves if they can get people to get together, maybe the five of them will decide that we should form a ticket so that one will contest, one will be running mate instead of Mahama running against the five others. The more candidates we have had the more advantageous it is for Mahama. This time, they may get talking to see if they can join forces to face Mahama, it will intensify but it will also make them face the reality that you can’t beat Mahama with five or six votes.”