I’m NDC’s Messiah- Spio

A flagbearer-aspirant of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah is sure he is the ultimate candidate to return the party to government.

He insists the grounds favour him as the NDC’s “Messiah” to turn around the political fortunes of the party based on his vast years of experience and competences.

In the view of Ghana’s first Minister for Communications, NDC has yet another opportunity to present to the Ghanaian electorates an incorruptible and competent flagbearer for election 2020.

Lame Horse

“You remember somebody referring to the party as a lame horse. Lame horse, how do you ride a lame horse to victory? how do you ride a lame horse to a racecourse? Dr. Spio-Garbrah questioned claiming “…So I am the candidate who can take a lame horse convert it into a race horse and ride that horse into victory in 2020.

That’s why many of the delegates are putting their trust in me, because others have come and disappointed them.”

So far ten candidates including former president Dramani Mahama, Sylvester Mensah, a Former Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NIA) and Alban Bagbin, Member of Parliament for Nadwokli Kaleo have declared their intention to lead the NDC.

But, Dr. Spio-Garbrah in an exclusive interview with THE PUBLISHER argued that in the minds of the delegates it will be to the NDC’s advantage to present a candidate who Ghanaians cannot describe as incompetent or corrupt, adding that “…the delegates tell me that at this time, I am the candidate they can present and not have any problems from the voters.”

“NDC delegates believe that when you have lost an election, you go through rebranding exercise before you come back again. You don’t take the same product to the market again.…by share coincidence, the party has somebody who knows how to rebrand, its not just about talking in the vacuum.”

The NDC’s leading member stated “within the party itself, it is known that I have the appropriate leadership qualities, the right sets of competences, commitment to the party and also the vision to transform Ghana…”

“Ghanaians are looking for a competent leader, someone who understands the broad issues affecting Ghana as a very small atom in the global economy”, he noted.

Extolling his virtues as an incorruptible candidate with both local and international organisations without a whiff of financial malfeasance, corruption, theft or any of the other things many public servants or politicians are accused used of, he stated that “these are the kind of qualities most Ghanaians are looking for in their leaders which by the grace if God I qualify.”

Explaining further, the NDC flagbearer-aspirant, intimated that Ghanaians do not want a comprise candidate, stressing that Ghanaians want a candidate who will tell them the truth, effectively manage the economy, one who has the competence and expertise not to be mislead by his ministers as occurred in the resent ALMERI deal.

Mahama’s Comeback

On former president Dramani Mahama’s decision to contest the 2020 polls after loosing the presidency to the NPP’s Nana Akuffo Addo in 2016, Dr. Spio-Garbrah said he is unfazed by the return of Mr. Mahama.

“Any member of the party who has paid his dues has a right to be a candidate. There are those who have spoken and written against it but that is their point of view; it’s a contest, some will like me, some will like other candidates, its only the election that will tell us who has the majority of the votes.”

Aside, the call on the NDC’s delegates to give him the nod to lead the party in the 2020 polls, Dr. Spio-Garbrah believes the Nana Addo-led NPP government “is basically taking Ghana for a ride and testing things as they go along, making us suffer. The president is forcing to implement campaign promises he did not think through well.”

He averred that the “NPP is making mistakes which are frustrating and annoying to the people of Ghana”.

While claiming there are elements of corruption all over the government, the NDC big wig said the NPP promised many things which they are having a problem fulfilling” and that over promising and under performance has been the bane of the Nana Addo administration.

The presidential hopeful added: “The country’s economy is in the most difficult state, liquidity is almost zero in the system, inflation is high, cheques are bouncing all over the place and people are being laid off from their work.”

United NDC

The former communication minister however, down played views that the NDC is divided.

Admitting there could be groupings within the NDC, he contended that the party is united around its desire to come back to power and the desire to present candidate who can win an election saying “No prominent NDC member has left the party since we lost the election…”

Having contested the position in 2006, with the likes of businessman, Eddie Annan, Alhaji Iddrisu Mahama, former Vice President and President Prof. J. E. Mills, Dr. Spio-Garbrah hopes to make an impact this time around to break the cycle of the John’s in the party.

By Jeffrey De-Graft Johnson