NDC Running mate is not a political neophyte–Mahama’s Special Aide

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) running mate, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman, is not a political neophyte, contrary to what her critics say, Spokesperson for the NDC Presidential candidate, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, has said. 

Although the respected academic had no walk in the political minefield until 2013, when she was appointed the Minister of Education, Mrs  Bawa Mogtari, insists Prof Opoku-Agyeman’s credentials cements her place in politics.

“She is a female leader with demonstrated and demonstrable leadership qualities. We sometimes forget that by the time Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyeman was nominated and confirmed as education minister, she has had an illustrious career as a trainer of trainers, as a teacher, as a lecturer, as the very first female Vice-Chancellor of a public university in Ghana.

“She brings to this ticket depth of knowledge and experience, leadership qualities of a unique kind, a touch of wisdom and above all, deep knowledge and passion for our development as a people.

“Like most of us, we’ve managed our small firms, our small entrepreneurship, and all of that this is an individual who has managed a huge institution… She has gone about her work with enormous passion with a certain length of humility,” she said of the woman partnering former President John Mahama, who is hoping to ‘avenge’ his 2016 defeat in the hands of President Nana Akufo-Addo.

For more than a year now, the NDC has been in search of the party’s number two man or woman to partner its candidate, who was elected in 2018 to lead it to wrestle power from the New Patriotic Party on December 7.

NDC running mate timelines

Although the party has received taunts and jabs from its major opponent, the New Patriotic Party (NPP), which insisted the NDC was struggling to select a candidate for the veep slot, it will not be the first time the NDC is selecting a candidate in an election year since 2000.

In 2000, the party announced its running mate, Martin Amidu, on September 3, 2000; In 2004, Prof J.EA. Mills nominated Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni as the NDC’s running mate on October 11, 2004. He lost both elections to J.A Kufuor.

 

On April 9, 2008, Mills announced John Mahama as his Vice-Presidential candidate. They beat Nana Akufo-Addo in that election.  Mahama will later give another dose of defeat to Akufo-Addo in 2012 as the NDC’s candidate in the year, in which he took over as the party’s running mate after the death of Mills.

On September 18, 2012, Mahama settled on Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, the man he appointed as Vice-President after the death of the then President Mills in July 2012.  On December 7, 2015, Mahama again chose Amissah-Arthur, as his running mate. It was the first time in recent memory the NDC had chosen a running mate a year before the elections.

It is, however, the first time the NDC selected a female to partner its Presidential candidate—not just to meet a constitutional requirement, but also a balancing north-south ticket—which has become the convention for the two major parties—NDC and NPP—ever since President J.A Kufuor set the tone, when he nominated Alhaji Aliu Mahama before the 2000 elections.

Prof Opoku-Agyeman’s nomination, Mrs Bawa Mogtari said, was a major victory for women.

“Her nomination as the first female veep nominee for the largest and most successful opposition party or party in Ghana is a toast to all of our cause for our womenfolk to serve at the highest level of our national development.

“Unlike most of these appointments that sometimes characterise or create a certain impression of tokenism, this is a woman who is more than qualified, in her credentials and her sterling qualities and her leadership qualities.”

Prof Opoku-Agyeman had always buttered her bread in academia, occasionally straying into journalism as a radio host.

That, Mrs Bawa Mogtari said, deserved applause, noting that Prof Opoku-Agyeman’s nomination has set the tone for the heights women could attain.

“Unlike many people with talent such as hers, Naana chose a life of academia and became one of our greatest female academic of all time,” she said.

“She has led her life, as she led her career, leading many young people and empowering many young people. She is beyond your idea of a feminist because she has not just generated enormous for Ghana as a whole, she comes also with an international repute.”

While applauding the nomination, the Minister of Communication, Mrs Ursula-Ekuful, however, noted that it would not make much difference in the political fortunes of the NDC. 

No sexist language

Veteran journalist, Kwaku Baako, also noted that contrary to the NDC’s position the Minority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu and the NPP’s Director of Communications, Yaw Buabeng Asamoah, had attacked the personality of the running mate, it was not true.

He said the two men peeled the layers off Prof Opoku-Agyeman’s performance as the Minister of Education in the Mahama administration and concluded that based on her performance, she was not qualified to be Ghana’s Vice-President or President.