The presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Drammani Mahama, has said he has not chosen Professor Kwesi Botchwey, former Finance Minister, to be his running mate for the 2020 general elections.
News broke yesterday of the appointment of Ghana’s longest-serving Finance Minister, Professor Kwesi Botchwey, as the running mate to former President John Drammani Mahama.
However, Mr Mahama posted on his Facebook page minutes later, describing it as “Fake News. The Daily Graphic report of the selection of a running mate is false.”
Originally published by GraphicOnline, the report, which quickly took over social media, said that Prof Botchwey’s name came up for the appointment at a meeting yesterday – “August 19, 2019 – and would be announced later.”
The report further indicated that there was a broad consultation ongoing within the hierarchy of the party, adding that among them were consultations with the Council of Elders and the National Executive Committee (NEC).
Following the election of Mr John Mahama as the flagbearer, names of key personalities in the party popped up as potential running mates. Later, it came out that people had begun lobbying for that enviable slot, which can accommodate just one person.
H.E. John Dramani Mahama 
Prof. Kwesi Botchway
Several names, including Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Kwesi Ahwoi, Prof John Gatsi, Nii Okoi Dsane, and Alex Mould have prominently come up for the running mate position.
Others, according to deep-throat sources in the NDC, include, in no particular order, Marrietta Appiah-Oppong Brew, a former Attorney-General, Kwesi Ahwoi, Ghana’s former Agric Minister and High Commissioner to South Africa, Dr Johnson Asiama, a former Bank of Ghana Deputy Governor; Mr Julius Debrah, a former Minister and immediate-past Chief of Staff, Hannah S. Tetteh, a former Foreign Minister now U.N top Diplomat, and Prof Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast and Education Minister under the John Mahama administration.
Reports also indicate that people are really lobbying for the position and have all thrown in their curriculum vitae (CV) for consideration.
Former President Mahama may not have much of a challenge choosing a running mate, as he chose one for the 2012 and 2016 general elections.
