Mahama Ayariga’s name pops up as possible successor to Ato Forson as Majority Leader in 9th Parliament
There are suggestions that Mahama Ayariga, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, will be appointed as the Majority Leader in the 9th Parliament to replace Cassiel Ato Forson, if Dr Forson is confirmed as the Minister of Finance.
Dr Forson is currently the Majority Leader and has been nominated as Minister of Finance. He led the National Democratic Congress (NDC), then in the Minority caucus in the 8th Parliament.
He was vetted by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Monday. Should he be approved as a minister, he may not be able to combine both functions. Therefore, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucus in Parliament would require a new leader.
It is following this that the Bawku Central MP’s name has come up as a possible successor to Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the MP for Ajumako Enyan Essiam.
Graphic Online understands that Mahama Ayariga’s nomination is currently being considered by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) leadership.
Before Dr Cassiel Ato Forson became leader of the NDC caucus in January, 2023, it was Haruna Iddrisu who was leading the side from January 2017 in the 7th and 8th Parliaments.
But when Haruna Iddrisu, the MP for Tamale South was ousted, the National Chairman of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, explained that the sudden change was part of the party’s restructuring from the grassroots to the flag bearer.
In Parliament last week, when it became clear that, Ato Forson had been nominated for the Finance Minister portfolio, many, including the current Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markin from the opposite side started rooting for Mahama Ayariga to succeed Ato Forson.
Who is Mahama Ayariga
Mahama Ayariga was born on May 24, 1974. He is a lawyer and a politician.
He served as Minister of Information and Media Relations, Minister of Youth and Sports under the previous John Dramani Mahama administration.
Mr Ayariga was born in Bawku in the Upper East and attended school in Ghana, Nigeria, and the United States of America. He attended Barewa College in Zaria in Kaduna State, Nigeria.
He holds a Master of Law (LLM) from Harvard Law School in the United States of America and a Bachelor of Law (LLB) from the University of Ghana, Legon.
He started his career as a Teaching Assistant in Natural Resources Law and International Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Ghana.
He also co-founded and was the Executive Director of the Legal Resources Centre, an organisation that promotes human rights, community development, and social justice.
Mr Ayariga first became a member of Ghana’s parliament for the Bawku Central Constituency in January, 2005, until he lost his seat to Adamu Dramani Sakande of the New Patriotic Party in the 2008 elections.
The seat became vacant when Adamu was convicted and jailed for contesting and winning an election while being a citizen of another country, which is against the 1992 constitution. Ayariga recaptured the seat in the 2012 election.
Under President John Evans Atta Mills era in 2009, Ayariga was a Presidential Spokesman and later a Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry and Deputy Minister of Education.