It would be a mistake for President John Mahama to repeat Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur as his running mate going into the 2016 general elections, an NDC pressure group has warned.

The Reform for Youth Empowerment, which has been vocal on reforms in the NDC, in a statement signed by its spokesperson Klenam Agbleze Kafui said the caution is influenced by the need for the governing NDC to prepare for its political future beyond the tenure of President Mahama.

President Mahama is expected to be endorsed by the party on November 7, and would have to name his running mate weeks afterwards.

After asking Mr. Amissah-Arthur to pick his nominations form, many predicted that President Mahama would repeat his choice of Vie-President.

But the president indicated on Takoradi-based Twin City Radio Monday that he was uncertain about who would be his running mate.

“You cannot have a running mate when you are not elected to lead the party. I can’t elect my running mate now and I can’t tell who my running mate will be,” he stated. 

But the Reform for Youth Empowerment said the president would have to muster courage to nominate a potential president other than Amissah-Arthur.

“Courage not fear is needed at this material time by the leadership of the Party together with the President to do what is right to retain power not only in 2016 but also to sustain power in 2020 and beyond.”

The statement therefore cautioned the president to avoid committing the same mistake by former president Kufuor when he repeated Aliu Mahama as his running mate in the 2004 elections when it was “widely known that he would not be the party’s preferred choice of Flagbearer for the 2008 elections”.

 

Below is the full statement

REFORM FOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

                                                                                                                                         12/10/2015

CHANGING THE VICE-PRESIDENTIAL RUNNING MATE…A WISE DECISION - NDC MUST NOT BOW TO FEAR

President John Dramani Mahama in consultation with the Party’s leadership is expected to name his Vice-Presidential running mate soon after our primaries – possibly within weeks.

Courage not fear is needed at this material time by the leadership of the Party together with the President to do what is right to retain power not only in 2016 but also to sustain power in 2020 and beyond.

Courage not fear is needed at this material time by the leadership of the Party together with the President to do what is right to retain power not only in 2016 but also to sustain power in 2020 and beyond.

With President Mahama and the NDC certain to retain power – the NDC as a political party must prepare for its political future beyond President John Dramani Mahama beginning from 2016.

The choice of a running mate is one of the greatest decisions the president [as a candidate] together with party’s leadership must make ahead of a presidential election – mindful of the consequences.

As the President and the Party’s leadership near a decision – they must be guided by the unwise and unpardonable historical blunder made by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to retain the late Alhaji Aliu Mahama from 2004 as a Vice-Presidential running mate when it was widely known that he would not be the Party’s preferred choice of Flagbearer for the 2008 elections.

The NDC as a political party cannot ignore or run away from this same reality: that the Vice President, Mr. Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, would not be our preferred choice of Flagbearer for the 2020 presidential election after the second term of President John Dramani Mahama. This is the truth.

The Vice-President in spite of his loyalty and significant contributions to the ongoing massive infrastructural developments and expertise in economic management, would not be the Party’s preferred choice of Flagbearer for the 2020 presidential elections. This is because his persona lacks that “political and social” appeal needed to give our party the decisive edge in an election within the context of the fourth republican politics.

The leadership, therefore, cannot treat lightly and/or ignore the legitimate expectation of the rank and file of the party seeking change in the Vice-Presidential running mate as the party prepares for the 2016 elections.

To this end, the party’s grassroots looks forward to a progressively younger Vice-Presidential running mate for 2016. Beyond competence – a candidate who resonates with the party’s grassroots as well as havinga wider regional and national appeal.

To our leadership the supreme interest of the party electorally and for that matter advancing the better Ghana Agenda must reign far and above any FEAR.

Long Live the NDC

 

SIGNED.

Spokesperson

KLENAM AGBLEZE KAFUI