Put Mahama's mandate first, not presidential ambitions - Gbande warns NDC members

Mustapha Gbande, Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), cautioned party members against engaging in early presidential manoeuvring, speaking on Channel One TV on Tuesday, May 12. He urged them instead to focus on supporting President John Dramani Mahama to deliver on his mandate.

Gbande said the governing party must avoid distractions that could derail its administration barely 15 months into office. He stressed that discussions surrounding future flagbearer contests were premature and risked weakening the government's ability to fulfil its promises to Ghanaians. He warned that individuals positioning themselves for future leadership roles could create divisions within the party and undermine efforts to consolidate public confidence ahead of the next election cycle. Gbande insisted that no individual's ambition should supersede the interests of the party, stating that the NDC would not hesitate to act against activities deemed distracting to the government's agenda. He said, "Whoever wants to be flagbearer, you are not bigger than the party," adding that "the pockets of ambitions constitute an absolute distraction to our mandate."

His comments come amid growing speculation over possible succession ambitions within the NDC, with discussions in political circles linking figures such as National Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketiah and Chief of Staff Julius Debrah to future presidential considerations. Gbande called on the party's Council of Elders to ensure discipline within the NDC and keep members aligned with the government's broader objectives, insisting that unity and concentration on governance would be critical to retaining power.