A Senior Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr Kwame Asah-Asante, has said that the 2020 running mate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, is the most suitable candidate for running mate.
According to him, Prof Jane Opoku-Agyemang possesses the requisite characteristics a running mate must wield if the party truly wants to capture political power.
Speaking on JoyNews on March 7, he explained that the Professor is well known, and has occupied respective leadership positions. This, he said, proves that she will complement the flagbearer, John Mahama.
“When you are looking for a suitable candidate for this type of exercise, there are a number of things you need to consider. One is popularity because politics is a game of numbers, so you need the numbers to support you. With this person, is he or she popular to bring you the numbers? That is the question and so popularity is critical.
He reiterated that Prof Jane Naana is popular because of her previous work as a scholar, he said.
Speculation abounds, with many analysts tipping Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang to retain her position as the party's running mate from the 2020 elections.
The choice of candidate some party faithfuls have raised concerns about her credibility and her ability to add to the party what is needed.
Some have argued that John Mahama should choose much younger person.
However, Dr Asah-Asante argued that the Professor has occupied various leadership positions where she acquired the skills needed. Therefore there was no need for such concerns.
“Remember she has worked in the university as an ordinary lecturer and rose through the ranks to become a professor. Occupy all the powerful seats and became the first woman vice-chancellor.If you are looking at popularity, she is popular among the communities that we look at.
"Let us remember that the university community is nothing but a microcosm of a country. So if you are able to govern that country you have what it takes to also lead the country and by dent of that you are popular. The students there cut across all ethnic, religious, and whatever political divide- they are there... If you assess her on these lines I have no doubt in my mind that she stands very tall,” he added.
Meanwhile, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the opposition NDC is scheduled to convene today, Thursday, March 7, to deliberate on the potential running mate proposed by the party's flagbearer, John Mahama.
The meeting is set to commence at 2 pm at a location communicated to the relevant attendees.