Deputy Minister of Information, Pius Enam Hadzide has described the election of former President John Mahama as Flagbearer for NDC in the 2020 general elections as a ‘cool chop’ for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming elections.
He explained that Ghanaians are not prepared to bring back former President John Dramani Mahama who excessively borrowed and highly inflated cost of projects he embarked on under his leadership.
Speaking on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show, Pius Enam Hadzide said the people who worked for former President John Mahama took advantage of the inflated cost of projects to enrich themselves.
“Now, due to John Mahama, interest on our loans is Ghc16 billion and this is what they are saying we should bring back to power? And so for me, it is cool chop as someone said cool chop election in 2020. This is not frightening at all. We are still faced with paying huge interest on our loans due to excessive borrowing and highly inflated projects like the circle and Kasoa interchanges as well as other projects in the country,” he mentioned.
262, 942 delegates had to decide between seven candidates, namely: Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumani K. Bagbin, businessman Alhaji Nurideen Iddrisu, former President John Dramani Mahama, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Mr Sylvester Adinam Mensah (Sly); former Trade Minister, Ekwow Mr Spio-Garbrah; Mr Augustus Goosie Tanoh and former Vice-Chancellor of University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Prof. Joshua Alabi
At the end of the day, John Dramani Mahama grabbed 213,487 votes representing 95.24% out of the total valid vote cast of 225,521.
He was followed by Prof. Joshua Alabi who managed only 3,404 votes representing 1.52% while Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin placed third with 2,301 representing 1.033%.
Goosie Tanoh, the founder of the defunct National Reformed Party, came fourth with 2,091 votes respectively representing 0.93%.
The former Trade and Industry Minister in the Mahama government, Ekwow Spio Garbrah received 1,447 votes which represent 0.65% of the total votes.
Mr. Sylvester Mensah and Nurudeen Iddrisu secured a paltry 934 of valid votes cast representing 0.42% and 520 votes representing 0.23% respectively.