The flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has settled on Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as his running mate for the December 2024 presidential election.
According to the Ghanaian Times’ sources, former President Mahama settled on the former Education Minister after extensive consultation with the rank and file of the NDC.
This would be the second time the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast is partnering Ex-President John Mahama in general election; the first was in the 2020 election.
The Council of Elders of the NDC have endorsed the choice of Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang as running mate of the flagbearer of the NDC JohnDramani Mahama.
The selection of Prof. Opoku-Agyemang is in pursuance of Article 60(2) of the 1992 Constitution, which mandates the flagbearer to name his or her running mate before election.
“A candidate for the office of Vice-President shall be designated by the candidate for the office of President before the election of the President,” the Constitution says.
Born November 22, 1951, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang is a product of the prestigious Wesley Girls’ High School, University of Cape Coast and the York University in Canada.
She was appointed Education Minister by former President, John Mahama, in 2013 upon winning the 2012 election and served in that capacity till January 2017.
She championed the Community Day Senior High School programme and started the progressive free Senior High School policy where 100,000 students were absorbed in the 2015/2016 academic year.
Following her selection as vice presidential candidate for the 2020 election, the NDC’s vote in the Central Region appreciated from 405,262, representing 43.43 per cent in 2016 to 524,038, representing 45.87 in 2020.
The party also increased its parliamentary seats from four in 2016 to 13 in 2020.
With the selection of Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, John Mahama would have stuck with the NDC’s tradition of complementing the presidential ticket with someone from the Central Region; either as presidential candidate or running mate.
The tradition began with the partnership of late President Jerry John Rawlings and late Vice President Ekow Nkensen Arkaah for the 1992 election and late Jerry Rawlings and late John Mills for the 1996 election.
In the 2000 election, the late President Mills partnered Martin Amidu, chose Mohammed Mumuni for the 2004 election, and settled on John Mahama for the 2008 election.
John Mahama continued with that tradition by selecting the late Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur for the 2012 and 2016 elections and most recently Prof. Opoku-Agyemang in the 2020 election.
With the choice, the search has come to an end and the ticket complete for the impending general election on December 7, this year
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
