Prime News Ghana

Mahama will lose sympathy of COVID-19 as an excuse for delay in announcing running mate - Ayariga

By Mutala Yakubu
Mahama Ayariga
Mahama Ayariga
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National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Bawku Central Mahama Ayariga says their flagbearer John Mahama has delayed in nominating his running mate.

Mr Ayariga says Mahama will soon run out of excuses and will lose the sympathy of COVID-19 as an excuse not to announce a running mate.

The NDC last year elected former President John Mahama as their Flagbearer going into the 2020 general elections.

A few names of who will be Mahama's running mate has popped up but he is yet to name one.

Mr Ayariga believes that they are racing against time and Mr Mahama should announce his running mate as soon as possible.

READ ALSO: I have an idea who my running mate is and I will name the person at the right time - Mahama

"Our flagbearer should have nominated a running mate by now, he has had a lot of time, he is the candidate for the main opposition party and was elected a long time, he should have nominated someone by now. I can't explain why up till now he has not announced a running mate, that is his prerogative to decide who becomes his running mate. Some of us had conversations with him last year and we were sure he would do this in the first quarter then COVID-19 surfaced and disrupted the whole process. After a while he will lose the sympathy of COVID-19 as an excuse, I think there has been a delay and as soon as possible he should name someone," he said on Joy News.

With just over 8 months to the general elections, John Mahama in a recent address said naming his running mate now will not be beneficial to the party.

He said the focus of all Ghanaians is winning the fight against COVID-19 and naming a running mate now will mean he can't outdoor him to ban on public gathering.

He went on to say that he has a firm idea who his running mate will be and at the appropriate time he will name the person.

“I have a fair idea who my running mate is, we are not late in naming my running mate, what is the use of naming the person in the midst of COVID, we can’t outdoor him/her now as we are all fighting COVID-19, so at the appropriate time we will do that. But I can assure you he will be someone that will help to transform this nation when I become President come January 2021”.

In March Mahama had to deny reports that he had appointed Professor Kwesi Botchwey as his running mate for the 2020 general elections.

Mr Botchwey has been strongly tipped to become the running mate to John Mahama.

General Secretary of the NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketia also says he will not turn down an opportunity to be the running mate to John Mahama for the 2020 elections.