NDC Primaries 2023: It's Now Mahama Against Bonsu, These Are Their 5 Key Messages

• The race for the NDC presidential primaries is now between John Dramani Mahama and Kojo Bonsu
• While Kojo Bonsu has focused his campaign messages to party delegates, John Mahama has been more national in his campaigning
• YEN.com.gh highlights the 5 key campaign messages of John Mahama and Kojo Bonsu as the party decides which of them will lead the NDC in the 2024 elections today, May 13, 2023

As the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) elects its flagbearer for the 2024 elections on Saturday, May 13, 2023, the key messages of the candidates are being compared.

Until late evening on Friday, May 12, 2023, the contest was between John Dramani Mahama, former president and flagbearer in the 2020 elections; Dr Kwabena Duffuor, a former banker and Kojo Bonsu, former Kumasi Mayor.

However, after Dr Duffuor pulled out of the race in a surprise move, the race is now between Mahama and Bonsu. Below are their key campaign messages.

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Key campaign message of John Mahama

John Mahama is favourite to win the presidential primaries by a landslide. He is the most popular and experienced having won the elections in 2012 and becoming president for a single term before before he was ousted at the polls in 2016.

Since 2016 he has tried unsuccessfully to return to power.

John Mahama's campaign messages ahead of the primaries are more to the wider Ghanaian citizen than to the party delegates and is under the general theme "Building the Ghana We Want".

These are the five messages that have been consistent in Mahama's campaign:

1. Keep a small government

The former president has been making a bold promise to keep a lean government if he wins the primaries and subsequently returns as president.

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The former president believes the number of ministers under the next NDC administration will be fewer than any government in Ghana.

2. Cancel ex gratia payments

John Mahama earned the admiration of many Ghanaians when he said promised to cancel ex-gratia payments.

Speaking at the official launch of his presidential bid on Thursday, March 2, 2023, he said he will begin the process to scrap ex gratia in 2025 if he wins the 2024 presidential polls.

3. Mahama promises to revive TOR

Mahama has also said if Ghanaians give him the nod to become president again in 2024, he will revive the troubled Tema Oil Refinery (TOR).

He made the promise when he addressed delegates at the Ashaiman Constituency as part of his campaign tour of the Greater Accra Region.

4. Repair free SHS and NHIS

He has also promised to review the current Free SHS policy and the National Health Insurance Scheme if he is re-elected president in the 2024 elections.

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Mahama believes challenges associated with the implementation of the Free SHS have negatively affected the quality of education.

5. Reset the troubled economy

He also promised to reset the Ghanaian economy to winning ways. He said he will implement tested policies to move the economy out of the current hardship.

Key campaign messages of Kojo Bonsu

Kojo Bonsu's messages are more party-delegates focused. While his campaign has not been covered in the media like Mahama's has been, he has made some modest proposals to delegates.

Here are Kojoy Bonsu's five key campaign messages

1. Revitalise the NDC

Kojo Bonsu wants to make the NDC a formidable political party across Africa and attract more members.

2 Prestige Cards for party dues

Kojo Bonsu says he will introduce a "Prestige Card" for party dues. This card will enable the party to reward cardholders to get GH¢10,000 in the event of an unfortunate circumstance.

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The card will also cater for the cost of 30 days of hospitalisation of holders within a year.

3. Build model party offices

The former Mayor of Kumasi wants to build party offices for every constituency in Ghana. Attached to this is the creation of a bank account and a seed fund to every constituency office to start a business.

4 Reward party members with jobs at Presidency

Kojo Bonsu promises to select two people from each constituency to become presidential staffers.

5. Power to the grassroots

Kojo Bonsu says he has promised to restore power to the grassroots. He has promised to adopt a bottom-down approach in the NDC's decision-making process.

Ben Ephson expects Mahama to win by over 95% or party is in trouble in 2024

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported that Pollster Ben Ephson has said the margin of victory for the winner of the NDC's presidential primaries will be a crucial signal of the party's chances of winning the 2024 elections.

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He said while it is very clear that John Mahama will win the NDC flagbearer race, he must do so with more than 95% of the votes cast on Saturday, May 13, 2023.

Ben Ephson told YEN.com.gh in an exclusive interview that the NDC parliamentary primaries will turn up some surprises.

Source: YEN.com.gh