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A case for Mahama 2020?<\/strong><\/p>\n Historically, Ghanaian Presidents since 1992 have always served two terms. Perhaps counting on the fact that currently former President Mahama is the most marketed face in the NDC, Mr Adams said he would reject a decision by the former President not to contest the 2020 presidential election.<\/p>\n \u201cIf he decides not to run for elections, I will be disappointed\u2026I will mobilise people against that,\u201d he was quoted as saying on Asempa FM.<\/p>\n But the first person to have officially stood up for the Mahama 2020 candidature was the immediate past Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Vanderpuye, who insisted on Starr FM that former President Mahama would be forced to contest the 2020 elections.<\/p>\n However, the former President\u2019s brother believed that the family was making a better judgement.<\/p>\n While appreciating the support from those urging Mr Mahama to stage a comeback, Ibrahim said \u201cit is important for those calling for his comeback to also respect the family\u2019s judgement\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mahama on his future<\/strong><\/p>\n While his family and some members of his party are poles apart on his future, the former President gave a hint about his future to his peers during an ECOWAS meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, in December last year.<\/p>\n “Many people have asked me what my plans are; I have no plans yet. My immediate intention is to take a well-deserved rest after three years of working without a single break. I guess that going forward I’ll be more engaged on sub-regional, continental and global matters,” he explained.<\/p>\n Mahama & diplomacy<\/strong><\/p>\n For those cautioning the President to forget about local politics, their argument is informed by Ghana\u2019s voting trend since 1992 which gives two terms to every new government \u2014 NDC I (1993-2001); the New Patriotic Party (NPP) (2001-2009); and NDC II (2009-2016) and the ex-President\u2019s performance as Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).<\/p>\n For those in this school of thought, the President\u2019s image as a statesman may be crashed if he contests and loses the 2020 elections.<\/p>\n Rather, they hold the view that he should pursue international diplomacy in which he had by far excelled, given the way he handled the Ebola crisis in West Africa, the Burkina Faso political crisis after the overthrow of President Blaise Campaore, the Togolese election crisis, as well as his appointment as a member of the group of West African leaders mediating The Gambian crisis.<\/p>\n Apart from his role in West Africa, the United Nations also appointed former President Mahama and the Prime Minister of Norway, Ms Erna Solberg, as co-Chairs of a group of 16 eminent Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Advocates to support the Secretary-General in his efforts to generate momentum and commitment to achieve the SDGs by 2030.<\/p>\n Support new government<\/strong><\/p>\n Mr Mahama courted public support for President Akufo-Addo, calling on Ghanaians, irrespective of their ethnic background, political and religious affiliation, to support the new President and his administration with prayer to successfully steer the affairs of the nation.<\/p>\n With the NPP making quiet a number of promises to the electorate ahead of the elections, expectations are high, but Mr Mahama urged Ghanaians to be measured in their expectations and give the new administration time to settle.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact that Nana Akufo- Addo made promises does not mean as soon as he takes office things will change, as many are expecting\u2026 things cannot change overnight. He needs time to put things in place before whatever changes he promised will start manifesting,\u201d he observed.<\/p>\n While admitting that his family would also benefit from a successful NPP administration, he observed that the expectations would not be fulfilled overnight.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are no miracles in governance and so I am pleading with my countrymen and women to be modest in their expectations of Nana\u2019s government\u2026we should allow them some time to settle down,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n President Akufo-Addo of the NPP secured 5,716,026 votes, representing 53.85 per cent of the valid votes cast, to beat former President Mahama, who garnered 4,713,277 votes (44.40 per cent) in the December 7 elections.<\/p>\n Nana Akufo-Addo was subsequently sworn into office as President last Saturday.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n –<\/p>\n Source: Graphic.com.gh<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Just three days after the curtains closed on his tenure, there is mounting debate between former President John Dramani Mahama\u2019s family and a section of the party he led into the 2016 elections over his political future. While his immediate family insists that the former President should call time on local politics, some leaders of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[11],"tags":[3,2779,2780,2421],"yoast_head":"\n![\"Mahama\"](\"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/30771309453_813aafd0a3_z.jpg\")
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