Paul Adom-Otchere credits Julius Debrah with 'reviving Mahama’s political career'

Ghanaian media personality Paul Adom-Otchere has credited Chief of Staff Julius Debrah with playing what he called a pivotal role in reviving President John Dramani Mahama’s political career following his defeat in the 2016 general elections. According to Adom-Otchere, Debrah was instrumental in persuading the then former president to reconsider his decision not to contest the presidency again, insisting that his political career was far from over. Speaking about the relationship between the two men on his Good Evening Ghana show on Metro TV, Adom-Otchere explained that it was initially difficult to convince Mahama to return to the presidential race after his 2016 defeat, in which he lost by approximately one million votes. He noted that the defeat was particularly significant, as Mahama became the first sitting president under Ghana’s Fourth Republic to lose a re-election bid. According to the journalist, the scale of the defeat had cast doubts over Mahama’s political future, with indications at the time suggesting that he was not interested in contesting the presidency again. To illustrate the prevailing sentiment surrounding Mahama’s political future, Adom-Otchere cited a January 2017 front-page publication by the Daily Graphic, which reportedly carried the headline: "John Mahama is not running for president again, says Ibrahim Mahama." However, Adom-Otchere attributed Mahama’s eventual return to the presidential race to the determination of Julius Debrah, who, he said, remained convinced that Mahama still had a future in Ghanaian politics. He explained that Debrah worked behind the scenes in 2017, mobilising support, resources and political networks to position Mahama for a return to the presidency. These efforts, he said, helped secure Mahama’s victory in the NDC presidential primaries ahead of the 2020 general elections. Adom-Otchere further argued that the outcome of the 2020 elections helped restore confidence within the NDC and strengthened Mahama’s belief that he could eventually return to the presidency. Turning to developments following the 2024 general elections, Adom-Otchere also highlighted the certainty surrounding Julius Debrah’s appointment as Chief of Staff after Mahama’s electoral victory. He observed that although there were extensive media discussions and speculation about appointments to key government positions, including the Finance Ministry, the Attorney-General’s Department and the Majority Leadership, there was relatively little uncertainty about who would occupy the position of Chief of Staff. According to him, while several names were being considered for other influential positions, Debrah’s appointment was widely regarded as a foregone conclusion because of his longstanding relationship with the president. He explained that the certainty surrounding the appointment reflected the depth of the political relationship and the trust Debrah had built with Mahama over the years. Samira Bawumia Stuns Audience with ‘Asaase Yaa’ Poem at Literary Night Source: Kwesi Boham, Contributor
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