Former President John Dramani Mahama has picked Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang to partner him into the 2020 general elections. The National Communications Officer of National Democratic Congress, lawyer Sammy Gyamfi revealed this during a press briefing this afternoon. Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang served as an Education Minister during former president Mahama’s regime, before then, she also served as a Vice Chancellor for University of Cape Coast.
Her selection, according to Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi was out of a unanimous endorsement from the party’s National Executive Committee and council of elders. The former president also took to his Facebook wall to announce same.
It appears she has “sopraned” her contenders. Before her endorsement, so many names came up for consideration. Prominent among them were Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor and Mr. Awuah Darko, an astute economist, a former Finance Minister and former Managing Director of BOST respectively.
This brings to rest the continuous pressure from the NPP on former president Mahama and NDC to decisively select a running mate. His continuous silence on the choice of a running mate had somewhat emboldened the incompetent tag on him from officials and communicators of the ruling party.
This nomination is quite historic, since this is the first time they are presenting a female as running mate. A female running mate means there is the possibility for an unprecedented record of having a female vice president if the pair emerge victorious in the upcoming elections.
It is believed that this gender balanced partnership will appeal to a significant section of the voter population.
Mahama is made this decision out of his gender inclusive stands in politics. However, he would face the test of this decision come December, 7th.
A move in the right direction.