Former President John Dramani Mahama has firmly rejected calls for a presidential debate with Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia ahead of the 2024 general elections. Mahama made this statement in response to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s recent suggestion that he engage in a public debate with Bawumia.
The NDC flag bearer Mahama questioned Bawumia’s relevance in the upcoming election, stating, “I will not elevate him to my level. Bawumia is not on the ballot in this election.
” Mahama emphasized that as the 2024 election is a contest between himself and President Akufo-Addo’s New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, there is no need to debate the Vice President.
Reflecting on past debates, Mahama noted that when he was the sitting president in 2016, he made himself available for a debate, despite the NPP declining to participate at the time. “As President, I entered that election in 2016 and was ready to debate my opponent. However, President Akufo-Addo refused to engage,” Mahama recounted.
The NDC’s flag bearer expressed disbelief at the current call for a debate, pointing out that the economic challenges under the NPP government have worsened since 2016. “The same people who refused to debate me then are now asking me to debate Bawumia, when the situation in the country is worse than it was back in 2016. What message is there to debate when Ghanaians are suffering under their failed economic policies?”
The former president further addressed the struggles of ordinary Ghanaians, particularly the rising cost of living, depreciating currency, and unemployment. “Taxi drivers, teachers, and everyday Ghanaians are feeling the impact of this government’s mismanagement of the economy. The cost of living has skyrocketed, and the dollar is now trading at unprecedented rates. What does the Vice President have to say about that?”
Mr. Mahama reiterated that his focus remains on holding the current government accountable for its promises and performance, rather than engaging in a debate with someone who, in his view, is not pivotal in the upcoming election. “I am not interested in a debate that elevates him [Bawumia] to my level. Ghanaians know who is responsible for the state of the economy, and they deserve answers, not a debate for show,” he concluded.
As the 2024 election season intensifies, it remains to be seen whether the call for a debate will persist, but Mahama’s stance appears resolute in dismissing any such encounter with the Vice President.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
