MP for Ashaiman Constituency, Ernest Norgbey has dismissed a recent prediction by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) that the NDC can win the 2024 presidential election only if they field a new candidate other than John Dramani Mahama.

He insisted the Mr Maham is the best candidate for the 2024 election because of his history in politics, adding that it would be unwise for the party to introduce a new candidate, as that candidate would first have to be accepted by the party’s grassroots before preparing to compete with a government in power.

“I think EIU is a credible institution. They have been in this business for a very long time and I can attest to the fact that they have produced so many positive outcomes in their election predictions. And I cannot doubt their credibility in this matter. But however, NDC cannot go into this election with any other candidate rather than John Dramani Mahama.

"We need to ride on the shoulders of John Mahama who has been in the system for a very long time and who has the capacity to win power for us in 2024. So in as much as I believe in their predictions that we are going to win power in 2024 massively and even win the majority in parliament I cannot understand their methodology for saying that we can only win if we introduce a new face,” he told JoyNews' Kwesi Parker-Wilson.

The comment by the NDC MP follows a report released by EIU on Friday, March 19, which suggested that although the NDC will win the general elections, the party stands a better chance with a new candidate.

In the 25-paged document sighted by JoyNews, the Economist Intelligence Unit said this fresh candidate should be introduced to desist rumours that former President John Dramani Mahama who is also the party’s 2020 flagbearer is likely to contest again.

“After two terms of NPP government, we expect the NDC to win the 2024 presidential election and to gain a small majority in Parliament,

“The next parliamentary and presidential elections are due in 2024. Under the constitutionally mandated term limits, Mr. Akufo-Addo cannot run for a third term. Mr. Mahama is reportedly considering whether to run again, but we expect the NDC to seek to revitalize its prospects with a fresh candidate,” part of the report read.

But rejecting the assertion, Mr. Norgbey said Mr. Mahama remains marketable and relevant despite being defeated twice by the NPP’s Nana Akufo-Addo.

“Atta Mills contested three times before he won the seat as President. Nana Addo as well contested over three times before winning the seat and so John Mahama contesting only twice for now, he still has the capacity and capability to win the election for us. He is the only marketable person we have for now".

Answering questions on the tags of incompetence and corruption associated with the former President, the legislator rubbished the claims while describing them as mere propaganda deliberately orchestrated by the opposition NPP to tarnish the image of the NDC's flagbearer.

He was also optimistic that Ghanaians will follow through with the 8-years power swing that has been practiced for decades.

“The corruption allegations leveled against John Mahama were just mere sayings. During the vetting of the ministers, most of them apologized for that; that they were mere sayings and they did not have any evidence to back them.  But they were able to manage the system to the extent that they were able to brainwash Ghanaians into thinking that John Dramani Mahama was corrupt but now it is evidently clear that Ghanaians have seen that comparing this government to John Dramani Mahama’s government, this one is becoming something that Ghanaians are worried about.”

"The eight years cycle is something that Ghanaians have come to accept and that is what they are all aware of. And let me also remind you that the 2020 election was keenly contested. It is the first time in our history that a government in power contested an election and lost miserably to the opposition when it comes to parliament and when you look at the presidential results," he added.