Leading members of the opposition National Democratic Congress are, still, sharply divided over a contentious decision by former President John Dramani Mahama to have another shot at the presidency come 2020.
Confronted to take a stand, it was obvious how tedious, a rather a herculean task it was for Alhaji Hudu Yahaya, who wants to be made the chairman of the party, to surmount.
Mr. Mahama has officially written to the party, expressing his interest to contest its presidential primary, a step to being the NDC flagbearer for the 2020 general elections.
To heavy weights contending that same slot, the former president’s decision is a sort of an abomination: it’s a no, no for them.
Several other bigwigs in the party subscribe to the thinking of these contenders, and have not shied away from making that position known.
But for many who served under Mr. Mahama’s administration as well as some executives who were collectively smacked with a monumental defeat in 2016, the former president is the obvious choice and NDC’s best bet.
Their reason is simply; that Mahama was not the cause of the party’s defeat in the last general elections but due to “lies” and “false promises” made by then candidate Akufo-Addo and his New Patriotic Party.
Comparatively, they have assessed that the Akufo-Addo-led government is “super incompetent” as opposed to “incompetent” tag the NPP labelled on John Mahama’s administration.
As the divergent views keep cropping up, Mr. Hudu Yahaya a former General Secretary of the NDC and a former Vice Chairman of the party, was asked on TV3’s New Day Thursday, September 20, 2018 whether he would advise Mr. Mahama to contest again.
“You are addressing me in borrowed robes…I don’t have that power to decide who should contest and who should not contest,” he swerved the question.
Anybody who qualifies per the party’s constitution and in good standing should be allowed to contest, he explained.
When his host, Bright Nana Amfoh told him about other known functionaries of the party who have taken firm stance, albeit divided, Alhaji Hudu Yahaya who is eyeing NDC’s chairmanship simply reminded him that people are entitled to their opinion.
But when Bright insisted on getting his personal view, calmly collected in his seat, he shot back: “You leave that to me…I am saying that every party member who is qualified should contest, if he wants to contest “, obviously running away from Mr. Mahama’s controversial comeback.
NDC Crisis
Meanwhile, Alhaji Hudu Yahaya has refuted claims that the NDC is in crisis.
He said what he and others contesting for various position seeking to do is to only take the party to a “higher ground”, insisting “the party is not in crisis”.
He noted that people expressing themselves in the party is being misconstrued by others as a crisis, but noted that if divergent views are not well managed could it will affect the party negatively.
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