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A leading member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kwesi Ahwoi has said that former President, John Dramani Mahama was not adequately groomed to be President of the country.
Speaking at a reception organised last Thursday by the Churchstreet group of NDC faithful for its running mate, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, he said it was nature that schemed and made Mahama President.
Giving a toast at the ceremony, he admonished Prof Jane Naana to be ever ready to become President of Ghana because anything can happen, citing how late Atta-Mills’ death made Mahama President.
The video which has since been widely circulated on social media has garnered mixed reactions.
“John Mahama was not ready to be president at the time but nature schemed things in such a way that President Mills had to give way to John Mahama. Anything can happen, so Naana, be ever prepared as your motto says, anything can happen and you can become the President of the Republic of Ghana,” he said.
He emphatically stated to the woman who appeared not to be enthused about the comment that if Mahama can become president unexpected, Naana Jane can equally get the the nod without explaining if Mahama will go the Mills way.
The video of the event which was a recent white party organised for Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agayemang on her renomination as a Vice Presidential candidate of the NDC has since gone viral.
While Mr Ahwoi was speaking a female voice could be heard in the background saying “No, no, don’t pray for death!” in reaction to what was being said.
The Churchstreet Agenda
The event was intended to to celebrate the renomination of Prof Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang as John Mahama’s running mate at the Labone office of the Church Street cabal.
It left invited guests including some stalwarts of the NDC in a state of bewilderment.
Since Ato Ahwoi, the patriarch of the group incapacitation, the lot has fallen on Kwame Peprah, aka the Supreme Leader, as acting chairman.
In his opening remarks, Kwame Peperah allegedly boasted of the power and influence of the group in the NDC and described Churchstreet as the ‘movers and shakers’ of the NDC.
He said the group would influence the direction of the Party for a very long time since they had groomed some young people to take over from them.
In proposing a toast to Prof Naana Opoku Agyemang, Kwesi Ahwoi not only stopped at the declaration that she was going to be the first woman vice-president but shocked everyone by urging her to hold herself in readiness to be president since anything can happen as it did happen when John Mahama took over with the passing of Prof Mills.
The fact that Prof Mills’ son Kofi Mills and John Mahama’s niece Joyce Bawa were present did not stop him from such insensitive remarks.
Kofi Totobi Quakyi, a key member of the group, who was apparently not happy with the turn of events, left the place unannounced.
The mood was subdued to the extent that Kwesi Ahwoi asked the gathering if they were happy that they’ve gathered to celebrate Prof Naana Jane.
To most of those present, it became clear that the intense lobbying for the selection of Naana Jane by the Ahwoi brothers and the Churchstreet group is all about power play and relevance and had nothing to do with strengthening the party, elections strategy, effective governance and the future of the NDC as a party.
The statement from Kwesi Ahwoi has ignited controversy on social media as netizens are questioning the rationale behind his words and criticising him as well as reading meanings into his comments.
It has also angered the rank and file of the NDC, especially the pro-Mahama camp, with his comments suggesting the fate that befell the late President John Evans Atta Mills for his Vice President to take over, could befall John Dramani Mahama in the event of NDC winning the presidential race in December 2024.
The NDC as a party has a record of deaths related to its leaders which is hanging around the neck of its flagbearer.
The two-term defeated Presidential Candidate of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama before the 2012 general elections succeeded the late John Evans Atta Mills who mysteriously died while in office.
When Mr John Mahama took over as the President, he then appointed the late Paa Kwesi Amissah Arthur, who also died mysteriously when he reportedly stormed a gym to undertake an exercise.
The 72-year-old woman, Professor Jane Naana Agyemang who is older than her flagbearer, John Mahama, age has turned into debates in the public space that she can’t pursue or be smart to undertake public duties if in case the NDC wins the 2024 General elections.
President John Atta Mills, who was suffering from throat cancer, died on 24 July 2012, aged 68, after ruling from 2009. His vice president took over, going on to contest successfully the December 2012 general elections.
It is documented that the influential Ahwoi brothers (Ato, Kwamena, and Kwesi) were the ones who persuaded President Jerry John Rawlings to pick Prof Mills as his running mate in 1996.
Mr John Mahama, if successful in 2024, can serve only one four-year term, paving the way for what can be expected to be a hot battle for his succession within the NDC. Incidentally, the Pro-Jane camp, led by the powerful Ahwoi brothers, used Naana Opoku-Agyemang’s age and apparent lack of ambition as making her the safest bet for NDC’s running mate for 2024.
Some weeks ago, the Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo Markins during the debate on SONA on the floor of Parliament raised concerns over Prof Jane Naana’s age with the NDC turning their guns him on the claims that he was attacking the female gender.
Interestingly, about the comments made by Kwesi Ahwoi, the spokesperson for John Mahama, Joyce Bawa also reacted to it on her Facebook page post by stating “Let’s be careful about the things we say and do so that our actions do not destroy good things!
Her Facebook post has also sparked controversy on social media as netizens are also expressing concerns that it’s related to the comments made by the Ahwoi family which is receiving bashing from the public.
