Graphic.com reports that President Nana Akufo-Addo publicly backed Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's call to National Democratic Congress (NDC) nominee John Dramani Mahama for a debate on economic matters during a recent event in Sunyani, Ghana.
Mahama had earlier turned down the debate, Akufo-Addo said, claiming that Bawumia was "not his classmate" because of his inexperience as a former president.
In a lighthearted nod, Akufo-Addo acknowledged that Mahama "has no classmates" because he is the only one-term president in Ghanaian history.
Reiterating his belief in Bawumia's talents, the President went on to forecast that the Vice President would win both the 2024 election and a second term in 2028, completing a two-term presidency.
During his speech, Akufo-Addo compared his own political career to that of two-term former presidents John Kufuor and Jerry John Rawlings, calling them "classmates" in this respect.
He restated that because of his special one-term status, Mahama was correct if he thought he had no classmates. As part of his ongoing "Thank You and Accountability Tour," Akufo-Addo made this statement while touring Ghana to thank Ghanaians for their support during his two years in government.
As he concludes his government, the President, who is scheduled to retire on January 6, 2025, said that his tour serves as a means of both appreciating the people and holding himself accountable for his governance.