Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Lower Manya, Michael Teye Nyaunu says the proposal for President John Mahama to contest the flagbearership race of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) unopposed is undemocratic.

He indicated that forcing people not to contest against the incumbent President is a means of depriving party delegates’ to make their choice.

The NDC’s General Secretary, Johnson Asiedu Nketia made the proposal and warned of problems for the NDC should any member challenge President Mahama for the next elections.He said the party risks losing the 2016 elections if such an attempt is made.

But in a sharp rebuttal, the outspoken former NDC MP said the proposal is unwarranted because it seeks to promote the selfish interest of the NDC rather than the national interest.

“I don’t think it is good for democracy and I don’t think it is good for the development of the country in the sense that the position he stated shows that the interest of the party supersedes the interest and development of the country,” he remarked.

He said if indeed President Mahama has lived up to expectation, NDC delegates will retain him as the flagbearer of the party.“If the President is doing well, people must not just say he is doing well. Somebody must contest him,” he said.

Mr. Nyaunu was of the opinion that the President “is doing well but it is not the best so maybe, somebody can contest him and the party delegates should be allowed to say that the man is good.”

“It’s not somebody who will come and tell them that he is good” he said, adding that “I think strongly that it is not a good position. The incumbent President must be contested so that nobody gets it on silver platter.”

The NDC is scheduled to elect new national executives on December 20 at a national congress in Kumasi.

However, the party is likely to elect a flagbearer a year to the 2016 general elections.