Prof Joshua Alabi, former UPSA VC
Still unable to name his running mate, and with no campaign message, since he was elected the 2020 presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress over a year ago, John Dramani Mahama and the opposition party have selected former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Professor Joshua Alabi, to lead their campaign into the 2020 general election.
Sources within the opposition party say the selection of Prof Alabi was craftily done in order for him to share in the blame, should the party fail in the December general election.
The learned professor challenged the former President in the party’s presidential primaries.
According to the sources, with Prof Alabi’s agenda of contesting the NDC’s flagbearership again still alive, Mr Mahama decided to give him the herculean task of leading his “disorganised campaign so that he will share in the 2020 failure story of the NDC.”
This, party insiders say, is to prevent him from using the likely defeat against Mr Mahama, who is said to be more focused on 2024 than 2020.
The former NDC Greater Accra Regional Chairman will be leading a 22-member national campaign team. The UPSA former Vice-Chancellor served as the Greater Accra Regional Minister under the Rawlings administration, and was once the Member of Parliament for Krowor, in the Greater Accra Region.
A statement issued and signed by the party’s Director of Communications, Kakra Essamuah, said the decision to appoint Prof Alabi and his team was taken at a Functional Executive Committee (FEC) meeting of the party held on Monday, June 29, 2020.
Prof Alabi would be assisted by Mr Alex Segbefia as his deputy.
Other team members
As part of the team, Lt Col Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, (rtd) will be the Director of Operations of the campaign, with James Agyenim Boateng, a former Deputy Minister of Communications, as the Campaign Spokesperson.
Other team members are Mrs Mawuena Trebarh and Ms Margaret Ansei, Deputy Campaign Spokespersons, and Gen R S Blay (rtd) as Strategic Advisor to the Campaign Team.
The rest are Sammy Gyamfi, National Communications Officer; Julius Debrah, former Chief of Staff; Kofi Totobi Quakyi; Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader; Hudu Yahaya; George Opare Addo, National Youth Organizer; Ambassador Sam Pee Yalley; Dr. Valerie Sawyer; Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, Director of Elections; Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, National Chairman; Ambassador Victor Smith; Joshua Akamba, National Organiser; Dr. Hannah Louisa Bissiw, National Women’s .Organiser; Alhaji Mohammed Mamah, National Zongo Caucus Coordinator, Samuel Sarpong; and Dr Nana Ama Brown Klutse.
Mac Manu’s team
The NDC team will be facing an NPP team led by an astute politician and a doyen in Ghana’s election, Peter Mac Manu.
The Mac Manu team has Dr Abdul-Hamid Mustapha as a Deputy Campaign Manager in charge of Communications (Messaging); Mr Lord Commey as Deputy in charge of Mobilisation; while Dr Afua Asabea Asare will be in charge of Fundraising (Money).
The rest are the party’s General Secretary, John Boadu, who retains his previous position as the Director in charge of Logistics and Operations for the campaign, and young, versatile and dynamic Sammi Awuku, National Orgainser of the party, who will be playing the dual role of assisting John Boadu in his operational duties, and in the same way assisting Lord Commey in executing his mobilisation duties.
Mr Mac Manu has described his team as “solid”, observing that each member is poised and well-positioned to contribute to the effective prosecution of the “3Ms” campaign task that will lead to victory in the December general elections.
Source: Daily Statesman
