NDC cracks to deepen after call on Mahama – Political Scientist

The call on former President John Mahama by the ten regional chairpersons of the NDC to consider contesting the flagbearership slot of the party ahead of the 2020 general elections will destroy the cohesive unity in the party, a political scientist, Dr. Eric Bossman Asare has said.

The chairpersons in a statement urging the former president to stage a comeback Thursday November 9, 2017 said: “we the ten [10] regional chairpersons of the National Democratic Congress (N DC), have invited the former President to as a matter of urgency, embark on the delayed and much-awaited Thank You Tour’ to thank supporters of the NDC for supporting him through his tenure and party over the years.

“Called on HE John Dramani Mahama to consider the request of teeming supporters of the NIDC and Ghanaians to lead the party to the 2020 General Elections.”

But speaking on development on Accra based Joy FM Friday, Dr. Bossman Asare stated that the move by the regional chairpersons was uncalled for.

“It completely undermines democracy and the growth of the NDC as a party…because you want a situation where by there will a fair playing field; so once party chairmen who people expect to know better are jumping the gun and inviting someone…it undermines the democracy the party is trying to project itself to champion,” he said.

When asked whether the development will deepen the cracks in the largest opposition party, he retorted: “Definitely. Some people are going to feel like the party doesn’t support us because someone had been the president before [and] if anything at all, if he was a good candidate why was he the president and he lost the election in a manner that we have never seen before in the fourth republic.”

Dr. Bossman Asare’s comments followed that of a deputy General Secretary of the NDC, George Lawson who labelled the call as misplaced priority.

According to him, what the party needs is comprehensive re-organisation drive not rooting for one member or another.

“If those who are expected to spearhead the re-registration and other activities are doing this, then I’ll say they are distracting process. The re-organisation and re-registration of members is what we should be paying attention to at this time,” he told host of Morning Starr Francis Abban.

The former president is yet to publicly state his intention on leading the party to the 2020 general elections.

At a Unity Walk in Cape-Coast, the Central regional capital, he stated that it was too early to declare his intention.

Already former Rector the University for Professional Studies Professor Joshua Alabi and former Trades Minister Ekwow Spio Garbrah have confirmed their intentions of leading the party ahead of the 2020 elections.