On March 24, the office of Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia was compelled to issue a statement to distance him from posters which suggest that he has plans of contesting the flagbearer slot for the New Patriotic Party in 2023.
The move was meant to put to bed months of reports and social media campaigns to have him replace Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and ‘break the eight’.
The statement which was signed by his spokesperson, Dr Gideon Boako, did not confirm or deny his interest but was more of shelving the dream for the right time.
In the NPP, Dr Bawumia is not the only person whose name has made waves as being the successor to President Akufo-Addo.
The names of Alan Kyerematen, Dr Akoto Afriyie, Joe Ghartey among others, have all popped as persons readying themselves for the presidential candidate position in 2024.
The scramble for power is not limited to the NPP alone. Within the opposition National Democratic Congress, there are reports of some persons lacing their boots to contest Mahama.
While John Dramani Mahama, as per submissions by renowned pollster Ben Ephson remains the party’s surest bet at ending the NPP dominance, names of some prominent persons have been making the rounds.
Mahama as things stand has not given any indication he will or will not contest the 2024 elections despite musings from his camp that he has no intention of retiring as a one-term president.
He, however, could face some opposition if the rumours are anything to go by.
Haruna Iddrisu
The Minority Leader has long been regarded as the heir apparent to Mahama. Some persons within the party see him as the ideal man to replace John Mahama.
The notion has been that Haruna was going to bid his time and wait for Mahama to bow out before throwing his hat into the race.
But last week, amid protest by a group for Mahama to make way for a fresh face, posters of ‘Haruna (2024) surfaced.
While no group claimed credit for the posters, there were posts on social media by some NDC activists who expressed their readiness to welcome him as the man to lead them to war in 2024.
Like Bawumia, Haruna also came out to distance himself from the posters that announced his presidential bid.
“My tomorrow, my political future, is in the hands of God. I am young enough to wait for God’s time. I have never worn a three-piece suit black in a green tie.”
Samuel Ofosu Ampofo
The presidential ambitions of Samuel Ofoso-Ampofo, the National Chairman of the NDC was revealed by Allotey Jacobs and Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko.
Allotey disclosed on Asempa FM that Ofosu-Ampofo has plans to contest 2024 and has allegedly been working against John Mahama.
The same sentiments were expressed by Gabby Otchere-Darko albeit without the allegations.
It is worth noting that Ofosu-Ampofo has denied having such ambitions despite the insistence of Allotey Jacobs.
“The times we are in demand that we deploy all our energies in order to ensure that the rigging that characterised the last presidential election is exposed and God-willing, the opportunity is granted to the voters once again to choose the right and proper person to steer the affairs of our beloved country, Ghana,” he said in a statement.
Professor Joshua Alabi
In the immediate aftermath of the 2020 elections, artworks conveying Professor Alabi’s interest in running for president in 2024 on the ticket of the NDC made waves in the media.
There were media reports to the effect that the campaign manager for the NDC’s 2020 election could be contesting Mahama in 2024.
He, however, denied the reports in a social media post in which he described the reports as ‘fake’.
Alban Bagbin
Another name that has been remotely mentioned is the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin.
Despite his ascension to the throne of Speakership, there exist belief that Bagbin who contested Mahama in the last primaries could still be interested in leading the NDC to election 2024.
Recently, an appointee of the John Mahama administration issued a stern warning to Bagbin that the party will resist any attempt by him to contest the 2024 polls.
Nurudeen Hamida, the former MCE for Asokore Mampong said"We will fight Alban Bagbin if he dares contest John Mahama. If he has been privileged to be elected as Speaker of Parliament, he should concentrate in Parliament and leave the presidential race to the former president to take NDC to the Promised Land in 2024," he indicated in a political program on Akoma FM monitored by this portal.
Former President John Dramani Mahama