Following a landslide victory at the just-ended National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries, former President Mahama has a decision to make on whether he will maintain Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang or not.
Having lost following an attempt to regain power in 2020 with former Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang as his running mate, there somehow remains the question of who becomes a running mate for an NDC-John Mahama in 2024.
Already, the likes of pollster, Ben Ephson have advised the former president to settle on a different choice to boost his prospects in 2024.
GhanaWeb looks at some potential names.
1. Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong
Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong became the second woman to hold office as Ghana’s Attorney General of Ghana and Minister for Justice under the erstwhile government of John Dramani Mahama.
Having had a working relationship with the former President coupled with her vast experience and her status in the NDC, Appiah-Oppong’s name falls in the range of potential running mate choices.
Her choice will suit a perfect substitute for Prof Opoku-Agyemang on the grounds of affirmative action cited by many as one of the reasons behind John Mahama’s 2020 running mate choice.
2. Alex Mould
In 2020, former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), Alex Mould, was among some NDC members who pitched themselves for the party’s running mate.
“My pedigree shows that I have managed organisations successfully… if you’re talking about the economy, of course, I can deliver. If you’re talking about energy, I can deliver. If you are talking about any area whether it's trade, or industry, I can deliver,” he stated in 2020.
It is expected that the economist will once again pitch himself for selection if a search is declared for the NDC running mate position for 2024.
3. Kingsley Awauh-Darko
Ahead of the 2020 choice of John Dramani Mahama, several reports announced former Managing Director of the Tema Oil Refinery, Kingsley Awuah-Darko as the vice-presidential candidate choice settled on by Mahama.
Having missed out on his popularized choice as running mate in 2020, Kingsley Awuah Darko’s name will once again reign in the potential list of John Mahama running mates if a decision is made against retaining Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang.
4. Kojo Bonsu
Kojo Bonsu, an accomplished is a possible running mate for John Dramani Mahama in the coming general elections. He was a former Mayor of Kumasi, and in 2018, dropped out of the NDC’s flagbearer race. In 2023, he again contested for the party’s presidential primaries but lost to John Dramani Mahama
5. Patrick Awuah
Software guru, Patrick Awuah is the president and founder of Ashesi University. Prior to that, he worked as a program manager at Microsoft. In 2015, his hard work was crowned when he was made a Macarthur Fellow, making him the first Ghanaian to achieve the prestigious feat.
John Dramani Mahama