Source: Isaac Amoah

Nana Kusi Ampofo II, Otumfuo’s Banmuhene of Bremang in Kumasi, has proposed that the former Minister of Local Government & Rural Development in the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, Mr Akwasi Oppong-Fosu, be considered as running mate to Mr. John Dramani Mahama for the 2024 general election.

According to him, apart from Mr. Oppong-Fosu’s competence, he is a pure Asante (Akan) with a credible and blameless track record, hence he can partner Mahama to win more votes from the stronghold of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Nana Ampofo II, who doubles as a cadre, said, “As a cadre, I’m proposing to Mr. Mahama to consider selecting Mr. Akwasi Oppong-Fosu, one of the credible and competent cadres from the Ashanti Region, to partner him for the 2024 general election.”

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, 29th November 2023, Nana Ampofo ll said the need for Mr. Mahama to select his running mate from the Ashanti Region cannot be overemphasised.

According to him, the selection of a pure Asante (Akan) from the Ashanti Region as Mahama’s running mate would be very strategic to win more votes for the NDC in the 2024 polls.

He said it is openly known that NDC’s political world bank is the Volta Region but in the 2020 general election, the Ashanti Region gave NDC more votes than its stronghold.

Akwasi Oppong-Fosu,

Nana Kusi Ampofo II

“I can say that more Asantes and residents of the Ashanti Region are currently rushing to join the NDC unlike during former President Jerry John Rawlings’s era when the nation had just returned to a democratic dispensation …,” he stated.

“Currently, the situation has changed and Mr. Mahama and the NDC leadership have to take this great opportunity for the first time to choose a competent and blameless cadre like Akwasi Oppong-Fosu to help consolidate the party’s gains,” he proposed.

Nana Ampofo II said even though many names had popped up for consideration as Mahama’s running mate, he thinks that Mahama doesn’t just need to choose anyone which in the eyes of the public may be well deserving but with a bad track record which the ruling NPP could take advantage of to frustrate NDC’s victory in the 2024 polls.

Otumfuo’s Banmuhene said the NDC, since former President Rawlings’s era, had focused more on the Central Region in the selection of a running mate but the region had not given stable support to the party, but if that same consideration had been given to the Ashanti Region, the story could have been different.

“I believe Mr. Mahama needs a running mate who is very competent, credible, blameless and commands respect in the Ashanti Region to take over from him in the 2028 elections.

If Akwasi Oppong-Fosu is selected to partner Mahama, winning the 2024 polls would be easy because we’re going to share Ashanti votes with Alan Kyeremanten, an Asante, who has also parted ways with the NPP, citing intimidation and harassment of his supporters,” he said.

“I wish to humbly propose to Mr. John Mahama to consider choosing Mr. Akwasi Oppong-Fosu, a cadre who has been a former District Secretary for Obuasi, Tepa and a former Local Government Minister without any bad record.
For about 42 years, Akwasi Oppong-Fosu has distinguished himself well to partner Mahama for the 2024 polls.

I strongly believe that with Oppong-Fosu as Mahama’s running mate, winning the 2024 polls will be easy because every time NDC gets over 30 per cent in the Ashanti Region, we’re in government. And as a pure Asante, he stands tall to help win more votes from the region.

Apart from that, the party would also get more votes from the Western North Region where his father comes from,” he explained.

It would be recalled that Mr. Oppong-Fosu contested and won the Amenfi East seat for the NDC and the seat has been maintained by the party to date.