Pollster Ben Ephson has said ex President John Mahama will have a difficult task leading the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) into the 2020 elections, if he should contest and win the party’s primaries due to the sharp division within the party.
Mr. Ephson’s comments come after about 94 NDC Members of Parliament threw their weight behind the candidature of John Mahama ahead of the party’s presidential primaries.
The MPs, signed a document declaring their support for the former President who led the party in the 2016 defeat.
Mr. Mahama who is likely to contest the flagbearer slot for the NDC will have to beat competition from former UPSA vice chancellor Professor Joshua Alabi, Second deputy speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, former NHIA boss Sylvester Mensah and his former Trade minister Dr. Ekwow Spio Garbrah.
NDC stalwarts such as former Diplomat, James Victor Gbeho and former Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Ken Dzirasah have rallied support for the candidature of Prof. Joshua Alabi to become the flagbearer of the party going into the 2020 elections.
But Mr Ephson who’s also the Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch Newspaper commenting on the development within the NDC party stated that the division is sure to generate an acrimonious campaign.
“…The NDC is so divided that when the NPP has its back to the wall, they are fighting among themselves. Take it or leave it, if Mahama wins he’s going to head a divided party, because the division he left the party after losing he hasn’t healed it. Yes, the campaign will be very dirty and I think he’ll win. If Mahama wins the only way the party is going to have a semblance of unity is if he takes his running mate from the choices of the two factions, Rawlings and Mills factions. Mahama is NDC best bet, but for 2020 elections I don’t think so unless the party is united. He’s going to lead a disorganized party.”
