Koku Anyidoho, a former deputy general secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has asserted that John Dramani Mahama, the party’s flagbearer, will not gain the respect of Ghanaians if he declines to engage in a debate with Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Anyidoho emphasized that Mahama has the opportunity to participate in a direct debate with Bawumia and should seize this opportunity instead of waiting until after the debate to hold press conferences aimed at countering Bawumia’s statements.
He further remarked that given Mahama’s previous experience as president, he must adopt a different approach to persuade Ghanaians to support him in the forthcoming 2024 elections.
In an interview on Wontumi TV on September 1, 2024, Anyidoho expressed these views.
if Asiedu Nketiah claims that they will not debate anybody it is up to him…If you don’t go to the debate, it is up to you, but Bawumia has said that he will go even if it is about him. He will go and debate and talk to the nation.
And the question I am asking my brother is that if he doesn’t go for the debate and Bawumia goes, will they go and hold a press conference and talk loudly, countering Bawumia while they gave you the opportunity to debate him?
For the debate, you won’t go, but after the debate, you will hold a press conference to counter him. Who will take you seriously? Nobody will take you seriously because we are looking for the best. You see, you are not a new candidate.
If you were a new candidate, then you could be forgiven for a lot of things, but you have been president before, and Ghanaians rejected you. So, if you are coming back, you must convince Ghanaians beyond a reasonable doubt.
