Deputy Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Upper East Region Andrew Atariwini says the National Democratic Congress (NDC) running-mate’s comment that she would not declare herself a “driver’s mate” is because she does not stand chance of leading the NDC.
At event in Accra to outdoor her following a renomination as vice presidential candidate, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang pledged her unflinching loyalty to flagbearer of the party John Dramani Mahama.
Taking a subtle jab at Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for equating his position to that of a driver’s mate, the former Education Minister said, “at the time of reckoning, Your Excellency John Mahama, I will not in advancement of self-serving ambition declare to the whole world that I was only the driver’s mate”.
But reacting in an interview on Breakfast Today, Andrew Atariwine argued that Dr. Bawumia’s comment was not an attempt to shy away from the failures of the government as the NDC’s running-mate sought to imply.
He said the Vice-President only indicated his constitutional mandate in the current government and its limitations while seeking a bigger one.
“What he was trying to say is that ‘I appreciate Ghanaians for the opportunity to serve as an assistant, supporting the president to execute what he has campaigned and promised the Ghanaian people to execute, where he has failed, I admit. But I am telling that if you equally give me that mandate where I have the final say, I’m able to do things in a different way’”.
This, he stated, is normal in the political space and cannot be said to be a refusal to take responsibility for the shortcomings of the government.
He argued that Prof. Opoku-Agyemang will make a similar statement if she also gets an opportunity to run for the office of president.
He, however, observed that, “she’s too old and may not be able to run as president one day. But if she were to ever get the opportunity and want run as president, she will definitely say that ‘I want to lead now. I have been a follower, I have been number 2 and I want to be number 1 so that I can equally bring my own organic vision to the fore of the country for its development’”.
