Prof Kwesi Botchwey Ghana’s longest serving Finance Minister will not be running for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) Flagbearership race for the 2020 elections.
There have been reports that the experienced Economist will make a strong case for the 2020 presidential slot of the party.
Senior NDC cadres, some party Regional Chairmen and former MPs who support his bid are said to be putting pressure on him to step forward. They are of the firm believe that Prof. Botchwey’s economic prowess and credentials, his cross-sectional appeal and unblemished track record will be ‘great assets’ for the party.
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Pollster Ben Ephson has stated that Prof. Kwesi Botchwey will be a serious threat to former President John Dramani Mahama’s ambition of a comeback if he [Prof. Botchwey] decides to contest the flagbearership slot of the party.
But speaking in an interview on Kasapa FM, a close source of Prof. Botchwey who spoke on condition of anonymity indicated that though the Professor has been approached by some party stalwarts, he has declined to heed to their request.
According to the impeccable source, Prof Botchwey is more interested in ensuring that the Party is able to address the issues that caused its humiliating defeat in the 2016 general elections and make the NDC formidable and a winning machine for the crucial 2020 elections.
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“It obvious that the good professor would have been a perfect candidate for the NDC if he’d agreed to contest and would have made the party’s return to power in 2021 easy. But he’s no looking in that direction, he loves the NDC and his preoccupation now is to build the party and see it holding together very strongly.” the source added.
Second deputy Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin, the former Vice–Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, (UPSA) Joshua Alabi and former NHIA CEO Sylvester Mensah are some of the stalwarts in the NDC who have declared their intention to contest the flagbearership slot of the party.
Former President Mahama a fortnight ago also stated his intention to lead the party ahead of the 2020 elections after reflecting on several calls on him to contest.