Mahama for 2020: 'I've listened to your calls and reflected'

Former President John Dramani Mahama has announced his interest to lead the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Election 2020 as a presidential candidate.

In a Facebook post Saturday evening, Mr Mahama wrote: "To you the teeming supporters and sympathizers calling and requesting me to declare my intentions for the future, I wish to assure you today, that as a servant-leader, I have listened to your calls and reflected. I will not disappoint you even as we await the publication of the party’s guidelines for selecting a new leader."

This is the clearest indication by Mr Mahama that he would try to lead Ghana again in the 2020 general elections.

Mr Mahama thanked both executive position holders in the party at different levels for their contributions to the re-organisation efforts following their defeat in the 2016 elections.

"I want to congratulate the rank & file and executives of our party, the NDC, at all levels for the commitment and work rate we have put into our reorganization efforts," Mr Mahama wrote in the Facebook post.

The former President has been touring Ghana galvanising the grassroots with the Unity Walk project which climaxes at Aflao in the Volta Region on June 9, 2018.

Opponents within the NDC who have emerged as competition for the slot have accused Mr Mahama of hijacking the Unity Walk project to give him an unfair advantage.

The Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban S.K. Bagbin, former Trade and Industry Minister, Dr Ekwow Spio Gabrah, former Chief Executive of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr Sylvester Mensah and former Vice Chancellor of the University for Professional Studies, Prof. Joshua Alabi, are among those who have also declared interest to contest to lead the NDC for Election 2020.

Mr Mahama had indicated he would make the decision about his political future known in the course of time.

"The zeal and determination of the average sympathizer of our great party is greater and miles ahead of what it was after the December 2016 Elections," he wrote.

"We need to keep up with the momentum generated and follow the published timelines.

"To you the teeming supporters and sympathizers calling and requesting me to declare my intentions for the future, I wish to assure you today, that as a servant-leader, I have listened to your calls and reflected. I will not disappoint you even as we await the publication of the party’s guidelines for selecting a new leader."