[ 2017-02-15 ]

John Dramani Mahama, former President of Ghana

Mahama bows out of 2020 polls
Ghana’s immediate past President, John Dramani
Mahama, has yet given the strongest indication he
may not be a candidate of the opposition National
Democratic Congress for the next presidential
polls.

Since his recent advice to members of the NDC to
stop arguing over whether he will make a comeback
and rather, focus on reorganizing the party; it
seem its now obvious, the ex-president may have
reasoned with his immediate family and the advice
of his late father, Mr Emmanuel Adamah Mahama, to
quit “when the applause is loudest”

Short of confirming he firmed up on decision not
to make a comeback in 2020, Mr Mahama last week in
faraway Kenya told a Nairobi audience, his
decision was reinforced when he attended the
inauguration of his successor, President
Akufo-Addo, on January 7 this year. “Last month,
I attended the inauguration of president
Akufo-Addo.

When I exited my vehicle and my arrival was
publicly announced at the Black Star Square, there
was a loud round of applause… again; I thought
of my father and those words – ‘leave when the
applause is loudest’.

The Ghanaian ex-president made this profound
revelation when he delivered a lecture on
democracy and rule of law in Africa in Kenya as
guest speaker of the “Mindspeak” series.

An astute political pundit who wants to remain
anonymous, interpreting Mr. Mahama’s reference
to his father’s allegory; “leave when the
applause is loudest”, told this paper that, the
ex-Ghanaian leader was signaling his disinterest
in leading the NDC into the next presidential
election. He added that, “I wouldn’t be
surprise to hear former President Mahama formally
announce his retirement from active politics any
time soon”.

Mr Mahama narrated how he has drawn useful lessons
from his father’s “leave when the applause is
loudest” advice which, he said, was contained in
a letter his late father, Mr E.A Mahama, who was
also a former Commissioner in the Nkrumah regime,
wrote to then Gen. Ignatius Kutu Acheampong to pat
him on the shoulder for some radical decisions he
took during his reign as Head of State.

“Despite the fact that Col. Acheampong had come
to power by way of coup d’état, my father was
hopeful that unlike a typical coup maker, he might
have Ghana’s interest at heart instead of his
own. In fact my father was so hopeful that he sat
down and wrote Col Acheampong a letter, telling
him exactly that. In that letter, my father also
decided to dispense a little bit of political
wisdom. He advised Col Acheampong to remember to
leave when the applause is loudest,” Mr Mahama
narrated.

General I.K Acheampong was later disgraced when he
was deposed in a palace coup, stripped of his
military title, and eventually; executed following
the coup by the Armed Forces Revolutionary council
led by Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings.

After failing to secure a second term bid in last
year’s election despite posting positive and
unmatched infrastructural projects, there have
been calls on Mr Mahama to make a comeback in
2020. National Organizer of the NDC, Kofi Adams;
MP for Odododiodoo, Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuije
and others have all vowed to prevail on him to
contest the 2020 elections.

But the Mahama family has been reported to have
advised the ex-president not to make a comeback in
2020. A younger brother of the ex-president and
CEO of Engineers and Planners, Mr Ibrahim Mahama
told The aL-hAJJ “John has given his all in
politics to NDC and Ghana and we think it is just
fair that we allow him to rest. We were very
supportive and instrumental in convincing him to
partner late Prof Mills, and when the time came
for him to contest for President; we supported him
and advised him to go for it…now we have again
advised him not to make a comeback in 2020”.

The former president himself until recently has
remained tightlipped on his future political life
except to implore National Executives of the
party, NDC MPs and the rank and file of the party
to channel their energies into restructuring the
party instead of discussing whether he will make a
comeback in 2020.

With discussions on whether he will lead the NDC
into the 2020 elections still raging in the media
and party meetings, Mr John Mahama said the advice
his late father gave Col Acheampong to “leave
when the applause is loudest” and “the
subsequent lesson that taught me about democracy
was especially relevant now. And I wish to explain
why…

Last December, elections were held in Ghana. I had
served for four years as president. I was seeking
reelection…during the course of the campaign
that led up to the election; there was one
question that I was asked a number of times that
bristled me. And the question was- If you do not
win, would you concede. Obviously, each time my
answer was yes. But I was always perplexed because
what other answer was there to give?”

The former President shared fond memories of how
during his inauguration as president in 2012 at
the Black Star square he “sat and listened to
the applause. It made me remember those faithful
words my father had written in his letter –
‘leave when the applause is loudest’.
Throughout the course of my presidency, I had both
been applauded and criticized, I was revered and
reviled.”

Signaling how difficult it is to determine when
“the applause is loudest”, the ex-president
added that “when you find yourself standing at
the center of all the sound and wrath, it is
difficult to determine when it is indeed the
loudest.”

Source - The aL-hAJJ

... go Back