NDC not ready for 2020 elections publication: I have been misconstrued - Mogtari

The Special Aide to former President John Dramani Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari has dispelled allegations that the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) was not ready for 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.

According to her, she has been misconstrued for saying it won’t really matter if the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) go beyond four years.

Madam Bawah has heavily been criticised by some members of her party for allegedly suggesting in an interview with Bola Ray on Starr chat that the NDC would be in opposition for the next 8 years.

A disappointed Joyce Bawah in a statement said, ‘The host of the show then interjected to ask whether that meant I “know the NPP will have eight (8) years”, to which I responded that it won’t really matter because among others, that is the beauty of our democracy.

The above cannot, by a stretch of anyone’s imagination, be a statement from me, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, that the NDC is not ready for 2020 or that I will be happy with an 8-year rule for the NPP’.

Read details of her statement:

STATEMENT ON THE NDC & 2020 ELECTIONS….

I have read with some disappointment, news reports attributed to some officials of our party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), in which I am accused of stating among others that the NDC is not ready for the 2020 national elections.

While no such statement was uttered by me on the Starr Chat, a personality chat show on March 08, 2017, let me also state, that I have never stated or ever claimed that I am the Spokesperson for the NDC or that I speak for the party.

I remain a proud member of the NDC. My presence on the Starr Chat was, however, in my personal capacity on the occasion of the 2017 International Women’s Day.

In response to a question about the plans of HE John Mahama, I indicated that I have had no discussions with him about contesting the next elections, and added that whether he contests the 2020 or the 2024 elections, he will still be a relatively young man and able to contest.

The host of the show then interjected to ask whether that meant I “know the NPP will have eight (8) years”, to which I responded that it won’t really matter because among others, that is the beauty of our democracy.

The above cannot, by a stretch of anyone’s imagination, be a statement from me, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, that the NDC is not ready for 2020 or that I will be happy with an 8-year rule for the NPP.

Joyce B. Mogtari.