Mahama caused our defeat in 2016; I won't support him for 2020 - NDC MP

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Yunyoo Constituency in the Northern Region, Joseph Bipoba Naabu has accused former President John Mahama as the cause of the party's humbling defeat in the 2016 general elections.

Former President Mahama and the NDC got defeated in the December 7 elections in unprecedented fashion, losing by about one million votes in the presidential election and about 50 seats in the parliamentary poll.

Many reasons have been assigned for the party's defeat with its founder, former President J.J. Rawlings attributing the defeat to the arrogance of power exhibited by the appointees of the Mahama-led administration.

But according to the Yunyoo MP, nobody except, former President Mahama should be blamed because he did not show enough leadership qualities to snatch victory for the NDC.

"The 2016 electoral defeat of the NDC should be blamed on [former] President Mahama. He failed to show leadership", he stated on Asempa FM's Ekosii Sen on Tuesday.

He further stated that the clamouring for former President Mahama to be maintained as the party's flagbearer for the next presidential elections which would be held in 2020 must stop. 

There have been calls for the former president to be maintained as the party's candidate for the 2020 elections with National Organiser and 2016 Campaign Coordinator, Kofi Adams, MP for Odododiodio, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, among others leading arguments that Mr Mahama is their best bet though he [Mr Mahama] himself has indicated he wants to take a break from local politics and focus more on international politics.

However, Mr Naabu, who has previously been in the news for 'over-heckling and shouting' at minority MPs during the 6th parliament, is of the opinion that putting former President Mahama up as the party's candidate in 2020 is not in the best interest of the party and it would backfire.

"If [former President] Mahama is to lead  the NDC in 2020 elections, he will lose miserably", he cautioned, adding "I won't support him should he decide to contest as flagbearer ahead of the 2020 elections".