Director of Legal Affairs for the NDC, Baba Jamal
At this particular point, John Dramani Mahama is of much more importance to the National Democratic Congress than the party is to him, Baba Jamal, the Director of Legal Affairs of the party has said.
“As things stand, the party needs John Mahama more than John Mahama needs the NDC because this is the time we need the party to show leadership and move us forward. This is a man who went into an election and won only for it to be rigged. He still controls the followers of the party.”
Baba Jamal was forced to make this statement following calls by Koku Anyidoho and Allotey Jacobs for Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the National Chairman of the party, to assert himself and assume his mandated role as leader of the party.
Koku in an Okay FM interview said per the constitution of the party, Ofosu-Ampofo should be the leader and not John Mahama.
“I cannot hide my feeling; if Samuel Ofosu Ampofo is not ready to be the chairman and leader of the NDC, he should step aside…the NDC constitution as it is now when the party is in opposition, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo is the leader of the NDC whether he likes it or not”, he chided.
Baba Jamal agrees with Koku’s position that Ofosu-Ampofo as per the constitution of the NDC is currently the leader of the NDC.
He, however, disagrees with his opinion that he should assume the role. He reminds Koku Anyidoho, during the period when his ‘godfather’ Professor John Evans Atta Mills was in opposition, the party still accorded him the respect of the leader.
Baba Jamal asserts that much as the law is succinct on that, it has been a convention for the flagbearer of the party to be its leader.
“John Mahama constitutionally may not be the leader but conventionally he will still be regarded as the leader. That does not take away the constitutional powers of the chairman but conventionally, wherever we go, John Mahama will be our leader.
“He has been the flagbearer of the party and he will continue to be a leading member of the party. If he comes for a National Executive meeting, he will sit at the high table and he will be regarded as the leader of the party,” he said on Okay FM.
