Former Chief Executive Officer of the Kumasi Metropolitan, Kojo Bonsu, has hit the ground running in his bid to lead the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 presidential elections.
He has hit the campaign trail with the splashing of giant billboards across the country.
Interestingly, some of his billboards are located in areas reserved for landscaping.
The giant billboards have been mounted in portions reserved for ornamental plants.
However, the candidate, through his assigns, has positioned the billboards in such locations to project his visibility but the situation has attracted some criticisms from a section of the public.
The former Chief Executive of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) had announced his intention to vie for the NDC flagbearership slot, throwing his hat in the ring for the 2024 elections.
Kojo Bonsu believes that as far as contesting the polls is concerned, he is a fresh face who ought to be given an opportunity by the party.
According to him, John Mahama’s successive defeats in the last two elections are obvious indications that Ghanaians would want a new candidate, hence the need for the party to repose their confidence in him.
He said “I don’t want to talk about him because I also want to be President. I want to contest the flagbearship race of the NDC. I will not support him this time because I want to contest. I will definitely contest.
“Former President John Mahama has contested the elections twice and lost. he is known too much by Ghanaians, hence the need for a new face. There’s a need for a new person to come and lead the NDC and not Mahama this time around.”
Former Finance Minister, Dr Kwabena Duffuor is also gunning for the position.
Touching on the issue in one of his tours, John Mahama said it will be in the interest of the NDC’s democratic credentials if they get multiple candidates for their primaries.
“From next year (2022), we (NDC) will begin our branch, constituency, regional and national elections. From there we will do our flagbearership elections.
“The NDC is a democratic party so all those who show interest and qualify to contest must be allowed to do so. We must all support whoever emerges victorious into the 2024 elections, and I am certain that God will give us victory,” he said.
It is open secret that the 2020 presidential candidate of the NDC will once again contest the party’s internal primary in an effort to help them wrestle power from the New Patriotic Party.
He is currently lacing his boots to try to lead the country as plans are far advanced to test the ground before officially submitting a letter to declare his intention to contest.
Other aspirants have cautioned that NDC would be doomed if Mahama is elected to lead them in 2024 general elections after suffering two electoral defeats in the history of the party.
Some have also described him as a damaged good who cannot capture power for the main opposition party.
However, Mr Mahama appears to have set up his machinery for 2024 with his recent attacks on the government, especially Vice President Mahamamudu Bawumia, one of the personalities tipped to lead the ruling party.
Mr Mahama’s hope of securing another term in office in 2016 after winning 2012 was dashed when he lost to then-presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The NDC candidate was once again knocked off by President Akufo-Addo in 2020 before running to court to file an election which saw his case thrown out without any merit.