'Nduom'll never be president in his lifetime' - Samuel Adugyamfi

Three-time presidential nominee Dr. Papa Kwesi Nduom, will never be the President of Ghana in his lifetime, political science lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Dr. Samuel Adugyamfi, has said.

“I know that Papa Kwesi Nduom will not win elections in Ghana in this very short time [and] maybe not in his lifetime, that’s my position,” the social historian said.

He told Executive Breakfast Show host Prince Minkah on Class91.3FM on Friday August 5: “As we speak now we know, on the personal level – and this is not anecdotal – that it will take a certain magic wand, or a certain – if you like – change in atmosphere, a divine involvement to see Papa Kwesi Nduom win elections in 2016. It is not possible.”

Dr Nduom on Thursday August 4 named former beauty queen Brigitte Dzogbenuku as his running mate for the 2016 elections. He is hoping to rally support among women with his choice of the female entrepreneur. However, Dr. Adugyamfi said irrespective of Dr Nduom’s selection of a female running mate, he would not win the presidency.

The successful businessman and chairman of Groupe Nduom said a few months ago that the 2016 polls would be his last if he was unable to win the presidency.

Dr. Adugyamfi is not the only analyst to have concluded that Dr Nduom will never be president of Ghana despite his qualification. Financial analyst Sydney Casely-Hayford also said on Saturday April 30 on Citi FM’s current affairs and news analysis programme The Big Issue that: “I’m a big fan of PPP [Progressive People’s Party].

I think Papa Kwesi Nduom is the president that this country will never have. He should be the right person to guide this country forward, but unfortunately he won’t have it because the groundswell that they need to do it is not going to come very easily and overnight.”

Dr. Eric Opoku-Mensah, a lecturer in political communication and presidential rhetoric at the University of Cape Coast, had also told Prince Minkah on Class91.3FM on Monday July 18, that it would be a tall order for Dr. Nduom to win the presidency this year.

“I think Dr Nduom’s political communication is quite relevant in view of Ghana’s economic situation at the moment. He has shown by example that privatisation should lead the transformation of the economy. And not only has he done this through his rhetoric, but he has shown by example.

We are aware of the fact that Dr Nduom is probably the only presidential candidate who has businesses in every region of this country and that is admirable, that is significant.

So, this is not a person who speaks just to get people to follow him but in terms of practicality, he has used his own business as an example of what he wants to see Ghana become. But the larger question is, is this enough to really get people to move away from the two dominant political parties, i.e. the NDC and the NPP…? I am not very sure about that.

Even though quite a number of people may be sympathetic to the logical argument being espoused by Dr Nduom, from my point of view and survey, I do not think that it constitutes enough to allow people to shift to make that major decision to ignore the NPP and the NDC.

And I think that if Dr Nduom really has a great potential in all of these, I think what it actually brings to the deliberation table is bringing new ideas and challenging the status quo…in terms of refining their ideas about businesses and how to transform Ghana.

But I am not sure that Ghanaians are ready to make that major shift. If Dr Nduom has time, in terms of life and strength, we can talk about this happening after 2016, I don’t think Ghana as at now is ready.

I am very sympathetic to his political cause, I think he is one of the fine candidates with real tangible ideas, workable ideas, but Ghanaians getting ready to make that major shift, I am not sure about that at least for 2016.”