NDC Flagbearer Race: ‘I Wish You Well’ – Rawlings Tells Kojo Bonsu

Former mayor of Kumasi Kojo Bonsu has joined the flagbearer race of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Mr Bonsu paid a courtesy call on former President Jerry John Rawlings to inform him of his intention and to seek his blessing, just as most of the aspirants to the flagbearer slot have done.

Mr Rawlings tweeted on Friday, 28 September: “I received @KOJOBONSU10 and his team today. I wished him well. He has a determined spirit.#KojoBonsu2020”.

Mr Bonsu joins a raft of aspirants including former President John Mahama, former Minister of Trade and Industries Ekow Spio-Garbrah, former Greater Accra Regional Minister Prof Joshua Alabi, former CEO of the National Health Insurance Authority Sylvester Mensah, former Central Regional Minister Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, former aide to Mr Rawlings Goosie Tanoh, Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, legal practitioner Elikplim Agbemava, businessman Nurudeen Iddrisu and Handyman Stephen Atubiga.

The National Democratic Congress as a party will elect a flagbearer in December.

Mahama’s Admission

Mr. Mahama, in the short video, clearly admitted that things were not done right during his tenure which compelled the electorate to boot him out of office.

He claimed Ghanaians are currently crying over economic hardship, hence his decision to lead the opposition NDC into the 2020 election.

“I have prayed diligently about the task ahead, and I believe I owe a duty to God and my country to take our great party back to government to right the wrongs of the past and to put an end to the cries of the people under the current dispensation,” he said in a short video he posted on social media platform Facebook.

2016 Trouncing

Mr. Mahama’s hopes of securing a second term in office in 2016 after his controversial victory in 2012 were dashed when he was humiliated at polls by then presidential candidate of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

With huge incumbency advantage coupled with flagrant abuse of state resources in the campaign, Mr. Mahama polled 4,713,277 votes, representing 44.40% as against the NPP candidate’s 5,716,026 53.8%, representing 53.85%.

While Nana Akufo-Addo’s votes appreciated significantly and that of NDC’s John Mahama declined, with then president-elect widening the gap with over 1,002,749 votes.