Why are Volta stalwarts against Mahama? – Boakye-Djan quizzes

Major (rtd) Kwadwo Boakye-Djan, spokesperson for the defunct Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), has questioned why most of former president John Mahama’s opponents in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) are from the Volta Region.

According to him, all executives of the party from all the regions support the candidature of Mr Mahama apart from those from the Volta Region.

This situation, he said, is unhealthy for the main opposition party.

NDC stalwart, James Victor Gbeho, recently called on members of the party and its grassroots, to support Prof. Joshua Alabi to become the next flag bearer.

In a meeting with supporters of the NDC in Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region, Ambassador Gbeho said: “My brother (Hon Ken. Dzirasah) and I sat down one afternoon by the riverside in Sogakope. We thought a lot about our party. We thought a lot about the younger generation. And we asked ourselves who can lead us now? After consultation, we agreed that our best hope was in no other person than Professor Joshua Alabi.”

The NDC is gearing up to elect a flag bearer to lead the party in the 2020 polls. Prof Alabi, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, former CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority Sylvester Mensah, former Minister of Trade and Industry Ekwow Spio-Garbrah and former President John Mahama, have all hinted at contesting.

While some NDC MPs believe Mr Mahama stands tall because of his track record as former president upon whose achievement the party will campaign, Mr Gbeho believes Prof Alabi should be given the nod because he has been a member of the party since 1979 and “is well-known among the base of the party and represents a credible image for the NDC. He has served in many capacities, Minister, regional Chairman, Chairman of Boards, and so forth. And he is in contact with people who know Ghana well abroad and who would cherish the opportunity to work with us on the Socialist International level.”

“So, let us just not follow somebody because he looks nice. Joshua Alabi has proven to us that he is somebody who can manage things. Regional Minister, Chairman of Boards and even the university he went into, IPS, as an institute, but today, it is an enviable university which no other university can compare,” the diplomat added.

Similarly, Mr Richard Quahsigah, Member of Parliament for Keta, has also thrown his weight behind Prof Alabi.

Mr Quashigah told Chief Jerry Forson on Ghana Yensom on Accra 100.5FM Friday, 3 August that: “The NDC needs a new leader going into the 2020 elections.”

On the same programme, Major (rtd) Boakye-Djan asked: “How come all the people who are rooting for Alabi are from the Volta Region? All the regions support Mahama apart from Volta.”

He added: “I want to warn them: they should tread carefully and not try to bring division into the party on ethnic and regional basis. This is a very dangerous trend and they should watch out.

“Gbeho, Quashigah and Dzirassah who are all from Volta Region, are rooting for Alabi and I feel very uncomfortable with that.”