Alabi pins hope in grassroots as MPs raise funds for Mahama

The camp of Professor Joshua Alabi says it is not surprised at growing reports that some members of Parliament are mobilizing support for a candidate in this year’s presidential primary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Though silent on who that candidate is as per a statement issued on Tuesday, the campaign team of Professor Alabi could be referring to John Dramani Mahama.

There have been widespread reports that some MPs have already begun raising funds for the former president to contest the leadership position of the party, likely in November.

“First of all, this development does not come to us as a surprise, especially when one considers the fact that most of these MPs were hitherto appointees in the last NDC government, with quite a number of them retiring from Parliament after 2020,” the statement from Prof Alabi’s camp said.

“We have always anticipated such a natural occurrence in the party.”

Signed by Israel Venunye, a member of the campaign team, the statement observed that “the next flagbearer election as it stands now, will largely be decided by the grassroots of our great party”.

It said many of the grassroots have already embraced “fully” the professor’s message of putting them at the centre of governance.

“We wish to assure the rank and file of the party, supporters and well-wishers of our resolve to entrench grassroots recognition and participation in the decision-making process of our party as opposed to the top-to-bottom approach.”