NDC 2020: Mahama overwhelmed with support

Former president John Dramani Mahama has expressed gratitude to his supporters for raising funds for his nomination forms and filing fees as he contests the National Democratic Congress (NDC) flag bearer race.

The NDC, at its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Thursday, 29 November at the party’s headquarters in Accra, resolved that all male flag bearer aspirants are expected to pay GHS400,000 as filing fee while female flag bearer-aspirants are to pay GHS200,000 and persons with disability aspiring to the same position are to pay GHS150,000.

The nomination forms are being sold at GHS20,000.

While other aspirants have described the figure as “exorbitant” and are calling on the party to reduce the amount, supporters and friends of Mr Mahama have raised more than the GHS420,000 to support the former president’s campaign.

Some grassroots supporters of the NDC on Monday, 3 November 2018 queued at the former president’s office at Cantonments, Accra to contribute their widow’s mite towards his GHS420,000 fee.

Also, MPs4JM, a group of 96 Minority Members of Parliament who have declared their support for Mr Mahama's bid to run for the NDC flag bearer, has so far mobilised 603 pledges of GHS1,000 each towards footing the fees of Mr Mahama.

The NDC’s presidential primary is slated for 19 January 2019.

Sources close to MPs4Mahama tell ClassFMonline.com that the group has so far raised GHS600,000 through its "Operation 420 people willing to contribute GHS1,000 for JM" campaign.

Mr Mahama in a Facebook post said he was grateful for the support.

“I am overwhelmed by your generosity that within 24 hours many of you, not only known supporters of the NDC, have come together and raised more than enough to support the cost of picking my forms and filing the nomination to lead our great party to #Victory2020,” Mr Mahama posted.

The post continued: “I am further humbled by the teeming number of you, who gathered in my office, to contribute your widows mite to my campaign. Thank you.

“Through your generosity, you have once again proven that with unity, solidarity, dedication and hard work, we shall win election 2020 to alleviate the hardships of the suffering masses of Ghana. Thank you very much.”