Don’t exploit the presidency of another for your speculative adventure – Gabby warns ‘ambitious’ ministers

The quest for who succeeds President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the 2024 elections seems to be dividing the governing NPP with some leading members speaking publicly against it.

Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and Trade and Industry Minister, Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, appear to be the frontrunners for the 2024 presidential race with the NPP.

Even though the two have not publicly declared their intentions, there seem to be some posters emerging from their grassroots supporters sending the signal across.

This move has, however, been criticised by some leading members of the party with Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a member of the governing NPP and cousin to the President, adding his voice to the calls for Akufo-Addo’s appointees to hold on to their presidential ambitions, at least for now.

In a post on his Facebook timeline cited by GhanaWeb, Gabby Otchere-Darko advised:

“If you are too eager to be president then do what Hillary Clinton did. You cannot exploit the presidency of another, at the risk of party and government, for your speculative adventure.”

In a subsequent post, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko added to the concern: “The world is in crisis. Ghana is part of the world. Therefore, Ghana is in crisis. Which part of this, don’t you get, Mr Cabinet Member! Governments everywhere have a big multi-task of fighting the virus, fighting economic hardships, fighting for food and jobs, fighting the debt and deficit and, here in Ghana, we are also fighting for transformation. This is not the time to be planting for delegates and votes.”

He stated that, if as a member of the government, your focus is to first fight for an ambition and transformation, “then, please, feel free to move over to move on.”

He stressed: “Please note: NPP in power must first succeed for NPP to succeed NPP! Build on this power we have now for your own power trip not to be tripped by your priority tripped wires. Be wise!”