Political communication strategist, Dr. Kobby Mensah, says the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU)’s prediction that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) can win the 2024 election with a new candidate is completely weak and fallacious.

He explained that since former President John Mahama pulled more votes in the 2020 elections, it would be out of place for any person to argue that his reappearance in the next elections would mar the chances of the NDC.

“On what basis would you actually assume that? Granted that perhaps you have actually spoken to people and there is a populous way of opinion that the former President has to change, then of course we have to expect it [EIU] to give us the figures.

“For example, if you can actually point to a popular opinion that says ‘X’ number of people within NDC would want to see a new candidate, then you’ve got to give us the numbers and you’ve got to let us see the evidences of your methodology,” he said in an interview on the AM Show on Wednesday.

The EIU in its five-year forecast for Ghana stated that although Mr Mahama is reportedly considering running again, “we expect the opposition NDC to try to revitalise its prospects with a fresh candidate.”

However, Dr Mensah believes the position of the EIU is very weak because it does not speak to any popular opinion and lacks merit.

“When you are making assertions, you would expect to put it in context. I mean, if we had seen a dwindle in a performance, then you’d actually argue that perhaps, he’s not a viable candidate, he’s not electable. This is a huge performance, given the two [2016 and 2020] elections.

“But then you cannot come out with your own opinion and say that you would expect them to inject a fresh candidate, without any solid basis for that. I think that is completely weak. I would expect a very robust debate, a very robust argument in supporting that position but I don’t see that,” he observed.

Meanwhile, the National Communications Officer for the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi, says former President John Mahama is the party’s best bet if they are to win the 2024 elections.

“I think the NDC will have a better chance at winning the 2024 elections if it runs with John Mahama. Currently, there is nobody in the NDC who stands a better chance of winning the 2024 elections for the NDC than John Dramani Mahama.

“John Mahama, in my opinion, is our surest bet to win 2024. This is because we got 1.5 million more votes in 2020 than in 2016. Therefore it cannot be true that with Mahama; the NDC will be disadvantaged,” he said on JoyNews’ AM Show on Wednesday.

But a renowned pollster, Ben Ephson, has stated that Mr Mahama does not have any chance in the next presidential elections if he maintains his running mate, Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang.

He, however, revealed that a survey he conducted indicated that if a flagbearership election is held by the NDC now, John Mahama would win.

“Clearly, if Mahama wins the NDC flagbearership slot and he is not going to change his running mate, he is going to have difficulties in 2024,” he said.