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Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah
Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah

NDC flagbearership not monopoly — Spio-Garbrah

Presidential hopeful, Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, has said there cannot be only one candidate for a political party when the party is preparing to elect a flag bearer to represent it in an election.

In an exclusive interview with Rainbow Radio, the former Trade and Industry Minister described as an interesting argument that former President John Dramani Mahama should be the only viable candidate for the party.

He also indicated that it would also be an interesting argument to say that Mr Mahama underperformed; hence, his decision to contest him.

He said, “That is an interesting argument. If you went by that argument, then we will have only one President for the next 20 years because as long as somebody has been President before, nobody else should have the interest or the opportunity to also present himself or herself for consideration. I see presidential and flagbearership elections within parties as a competitive process. Competition is good for us as Ghanaians.’’

He added that, competition abounds everywhere and so ‘’I see nothing wrong with competition.’’

Mr Spio-Garbrah, the diplomat, banker, renowned marketer and politician, said it would be a good suggestion for people to deprive others from contesting a candidate who might have had the opportunity to be President in the past.

He also expressed his readiness for any campaign or candidate who would also show interest in running for the presidential slot.

When asked if he would be threatened by the decision of Mr Mahama to contest, Mr Spio-Garbrah said he did not go into a race worrying about who else wanted to contest or not.

In his view, it is a free and a democratic society we are building and so when you express interest in running for a public office, you should assume that other people will also express interest in the same position.

“I am ready for any kind of competition otherwise I would not have been in this race.

“They may have their experiences but I also have my experiences,'' he emphasised.

 Asked what made him a better candidate than the others who had also declared their intentions to contest the primary, Mr Spio-Garbrah stated that he had been tried and tested in the world of academia, religion, agriculture among other areas.

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