Former Ghana president to contest in 2020 polls

Ghanaians have reacted to the Thursday announcement by Ghana’s former president John Mahama that he would seek the nomination of the main opposition party and contest the 2020 election.

Mahama, who became president in 2012 but lost his re-election bid to President Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2016, said he had decided to give the country’s top job another shot.

“I have submitted my letter to the General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) confirming my decision to contest for the leadership of the party with a clear view on victory in 2020,” the former leader announced on his Facebook page.

59 year old Mahama said his decision was due to a groundswell of support from Ghanaians.

“I’ve prayed diligently about the task ahead and I believe I owe a duty to God and my country to take our great party back into government, to right the wrongs of the past and to put an end to the cries of the people under the current dispensation,” he said.

Ghanaians express skepticism

Mahama promised to take Ghana to greater heights if given the opportunity to serve again, explaining that his aim was to position Ghana “as a true middle-income country by modernizing our dilapidated social and economic infrastructure.”

Ghanaians on social media were not convinced that Mahama deserves another mandate as president.

Mahama lost the 2016 election to Akufo-Addo over a faltering economy and corruption allegations.

Mahama is expected to vie for the NDC’s ticket with at least four contenders at the party’s primaries slated for between October and November.

Ghana has been one of Africa’s fastest growing economies in 2018, fuelled by a surge in oil and gas production.

The West African nation is also a major producer of gold and cocoa.

Africanews.com