Former President John Mahama has revealed he almost quit politics to go into private business in 2008.
He said he had to stay in public service because the National Democratic Congress (NDC) led by the late president Mills won the presidential elections that year.
Mr Mahama made the revelation when he spoke at the first official reading of his first book 'My first Coup D'etat' at the University of Ghana Tuesday.
There has been a rancorous debate within the opposition NDC which he led into the 2016 elections over his political future.
While Mr Mahama's immediate family has insisted that he calls time on local politics, some leaders of the party including the National Organiser Kofi Adams, Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye have dismissed the idea.
They argue that Ghana’s first one-term President is the NDC’s best bet for Election 2020.
Mr Mahama’s younger brother, Ibrahim Mahama, has said the former President’s family had been advising him not to contest the NDC primary to select a candidate for 2020, adding, “He (former President Mahama) agreed with us.”
“John has given his all in politics to the NDC and Ghana and we think it is just fair that we allow him to rest. We were very supportive and instrumental in convincing him to partner the late Prof. J.E.A. Mills.
"And when the time came for him to contest for president, we supported him and advised him to go for it…Now we have advised him not to make a comeback in 2020,” he said.
When Joy News asked the former President if he has abandoned politics to concentrate on writing books, he declined to comment about his future political ambition.
The former president, however, hinted that he is working on a second book but wouldn't tell when it would be completed.
'My First Coup d'etat', the former President revealed has also been published in Portuguese.
The book reading by Mr Mahama thrilled the hundreds of students, former ministers as well as members of the general public who were in attendance.
A retired police officer also showed up at the reading session with his own book, 'Fighting Corruption'.
Source: Joy News
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I blame Ndoum and dr Edward Mahama for NDC winning 2008 and eventually paying the way for you to ste.al your way through again into 2012. What wouldn't we have been spared if you hadn't happened!
he chose to to quit bcos he saw an opportunity to be president which he had. it is without any doubt that he never thought of becoming a president until Mills chose him to be his vice. believe me if it was somebody else that request that he be his vice he would have turned him down. but knowing very well Mills is not healthy enough for the work he agreed to be his vice. u can see from his utterances that he never thought of been a president. a loose talker can not be president.
John Mahama govt is worse... Even Acheampong govt performed better than yours. You are very greedy and corrupt. go and enjoy your l00t with your family and friends.
Your oratory skills wouldn't have become more pronounced. You did your best. You introduced communication skills in our public address system. And that is very commendable. Now you have become a statesman. A statesman is a statesman. Don't dabble in politics any longer. Your records are there for all to see. Ghanaians vote for political parties. NDC will have no chance in 2020 in my view. Maintain the respect you have earned by peacefully handing over. Adieu!
It is now clear that Mahama is not a real political leader. He just joined the bandwagon. He had no plans for Ghana and this explains why he was such a big failure. Infact he has indirectly told Ghanaians that he would not run in 2020 - POLITICS IS NOT FOR HIM
Why didn't you quit in 2008? that would have save Mill's life and also lots of Ghana's money and resources that you came to waste . . . .