The National Democratic Congress (NDC) officially closed nominations for the flagbearer election on Friday, February 24, 2023.

At the close of nominations, four aspirants which include former President John Dramani Mahama, picked forms to contest in the race.

The other three contestants are: a former Finance Minister, Dr. Kwabena Duffour, former Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA), Kojo Bonsu, and a businessman from the Weija-Gbawe Constituency Ernest Kwaku Kobeah.

https://www.myjoyonline.com/ndc-closes-nominations-for-presidential-primaries-27-constituencies-still-frozen/

Chairman of the Internal Elections Committee of the NDC, Kakra Essamuah announced at a press conference in Accra that the applicants are expected to receive endorsements from all 275 constituencies before filing between March 20 and 22nd March, 2023.

Meanwhile the presidential and parliamentary primaries have been slated for Saturday, May 13, 2023.

In a related development, a former Greater Accra Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Joseph Ade Coker, has called on the party’s flagbearer aspirants to allow John Mahama to go unopposed.

According to him, the former President is the only aspirant with the ability to help the NDC recapture power, hence should not be distracted.

Speaking on Accra-based Atinka TV, on Thursday, he said Mahama deserves a popular acclamation and not a contest; adding that the other aspirants can launch their presidential ambitions later.

“My advice to those who would be contesting is that, even though they have gone for forms and we have been talking to them, I believe that they should look at the larger picture of the NDC.

https://www.myjoyonline.com/step-back-for-mahama-ade-coker-tells-ndc-flagbearer-aspirants/

However, Mr. Kojo Bonsu thinks otherwise.

Speaking in an interview on Prime Morning, Mr. Bonsu said he is contesting former president John Mahama for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearership because of democracy.

https://www.myjoyonline.com/challenging-mahama-for-ndc-flagbearership-democratic-not-acrimonious-kojo-bonsu/

According to Mr Bonsu, contesting the former president is not because of bitterness nor is it a sign of disrespect.

“So it is because of democracy that is why we are in the competition, but not like we are challenging. It is not acrimonious, it is not disrespecting, he has been one of the former presidents of this country so I have to accord him all the respect”.

For his part, Dr Kwabena Duffuor in an interview on the Super Morning Show, stated that his main objective at the moment was to help the opposition NDC build a formidable party.

“People are trying to draw a wedge between me and John Mahama and so on. But John Mahama’s best friend is my son. So there is no [bad blood] between us. But people think that by doing that they will get the advantage.

“However my focus is to build a party, a strong NDC to be able to win the election. A house divided cannot do anything,” he stated.

Mr. Ernest Kwaku Kobeah, who is the new Kid on the block, hails from Asante Mampong in the Ashanti Region. He believes the NDC needs a very young and vibrant candidate who can lead the party in the 2024 and 2028 elections respectively.

He said his vision is to build a new Ghana should the delegates give him the opportunity to run the party to victory in 2024.

Mr. Kobeah therefore advised the party to refrain from a situation whereby “moneycracy” will overrule the core values of the party.