Pollster and Managing Editor of the Daily Dispatch Newspaper, Mr. Ben Ephson has said the retention of the Vice President, Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur by the President John Dramani Mahama for the 2016 election will put fear into the opposition New Patriotic Party, (NPP).
According to him, the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the President have taken the best decision ahead of the 2016 elections, saying, “We don't change a winning team.”
Speaking to the Daily Heritage in an interview after the President disclosed the news to party functionaries at an executive meeting at the party's headquarters in Accra, Mr. Ephon said he was not surprised by the decision.
“My brother, I'm not surprised, first and foremost, why do you change a winning team?” He asked rhetorically, saying, “Even Nana Akufo-Addo has maintained his running mate, somebody who had lost elections on two occasions has maintained his running mate, why should the winning candidate change his running mate?”
Asked whether the “incompetence” tag put on the President by the NPP presidential running mate will have any adverse effect on the chances of the president, Mr Ephson said “The one who is describing President Mahama's administration as incompetent, himself is a losing running mate. Look at who is giving out that description. It is the Ghanaian voter who will judge 2016 not individual views.”
Touching on whether the President should have chosen a candidate for the party who could succeed him after the 2016 elections, the pollster said “Those who are saying the NDC has to prepare a different candidate for 2020 do not know their left from their right.”
I'm happy to run with Amissah-Arthur
President Mahama told the national executives of the party that he is happy to retain Vice President Amissah-Arthur as his running mate for the 2016 elections.
Presenting his choice of running mate to the party yesterday he said he has no problem running again with his “hardworking” Veep.
“I must go into the 2016 elections with a Running Mate. I have had no difficulties settling on my hardworking Vice President as my Running Mate for the Second Term.
“I am happy to nominate His Excellency Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur as my Running Mate for the 2016 Presidential election,” he stated.
Lobbying
Prior to his endorsement, groups within the NDC were lobbying the seat of government for Mahama to change Mr Amissah-Arthur, who was described as “incompetent.”
The Volta Youth for Development was rooting for the Speaker of Parliament, Doe Adjaho, while another group pushed for Foreign Affairs Minister, Hanna Tetteh.
Mr. Mahama who is pushing for a second term has shown faith in his right hand man and will be contesting the New Patriotic Party's duo Nana Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for the second time since the 2012 general election.
Who is Amissah Arthur?
The Cape Coast-born economist had his General Certificate of Education “O” and “A” Levels at the Mfantsipim Secondary School in Cape Coast from 1964 to 1971.
He preceded to the University of Ghana, Legon where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1974 and subsequently his Master of Science Degree in 1976, both in economics.
He wrote his thesis on “Public policy and economic growth, a model of economic growth-Ghana” 1956-1974.
Mr Amissah-Arthur lectured at the Department of Economics at the University of Ghana between 1980 and 1988. Prior to this, he was a research assistant at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research between 1974 and 1975.
He later joined the Economics Department of the University of Ghana as a teaching assistant from 1977 to 1978 going on to become an assistant lecturer in 1979. He was a lecturer at the Department of Economics, Anambra State College of Education, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria between August 1981 and July 1983.
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