While the choice of a running mate may depends largely on the presidential candidate’s strategy, tenets, and goals for the campaign, the person chosen can matter a great deal in helping the National Democratic Congress (NDC) win or lose the 2024 elections.
The person chosen as the next NDC 2024 running mate can influence voters’ perceptions of Mr. Mahama and the campaign as a whole.
A running mate with charisma and a personality that connects with voters, well-liked, respected, experienced, and has a positive public image can boost the NDC chances of winning the next presidential election.
The next NDC vice presidential candidate must help balance the ticket by bringing a different set of skills, rich experiences, and demographics to the campaign team, which can broaden the appeal to a wider range of voters.
the choice of a running mate is a critical decision that former president John Mahama must make, and it is an important factor shaping voters’ opinions of both the NDC as a party and the election overall.
John Mahama’s choice of 2024 running mate also has a momentous implications because the person he picks will be his partner in running for the highest office in the land.
The choice of his running mate can change the trajectory of the campaign and can impact how people especially floating voters perceive the already known John Mahama and the quest of building a new NDC as a party.
A good running mate can bring value to the ticket by providing balance and additional experience and expertise.
Additionally, the running mate must also bring diversity to the campaign, which is vital because it can help gain support from different groups of people such as labor unions, civil society groups as well as the working-class.
For example, if the running mate is a cadre who has better understanding of the founding principles of the NDC party, it can appeal to the support base of the party voters who may feel well represented and also potentially cure the issues of voter apathy within the party.
Therefore, the choice of the NDC next running mate is critical, more than ever and can play a significant role in how the campaign is perceived by the public.
The chosen one must become an essential asset to the NDC 2024 campaign, he or she must complement the possible strength and weakness of John Mahama who has had the opportunity to serve as president of Ghana with his available records for public scrutiny.
I will use data from the last 2020 elections to argue my case why the NDC is in a dire need of a more formidable running mate. The data showed that the NDC and its presidential candidate John Mahama lost in two key swing regions, Central and Western regions, places analyst say determines the outcome of who wins presidential elections in Ghana.
What is fascinating is that, in both the 2016 and the 2020 presidential election in which the NDC lost, the party selected a running mate from the same central region.
The big question is why voters in central region vote against their very own indigene? Did the running mate lack charisma, and influence?
If the NDC is serious of winning the 2024 presidential elections, the party must still select a running mate from the same swing Central region but a person with better charisma, someone with personality that connects with voters, well-liked, respected, experienced, and has a positive public image to boost the NDC chances of winning the next presidential election.
Election 2020 results.
Central Region
Nana Akufo-Addo NPP 613,804
John Mahama NDC 538,829
Total number of people who voted:
1,173,439
Total registered voters: 1,568,352
Total number of people who did not vote: 394,913
Western Region
Nana Akufo-Addo NPP 439,724
John Mahama NDC 398,549
Total number of people who voted:
863,440
Total registered voters: 1,187,566
Total number of people who did not vote: 324,126
This, frightening results must alarm party officials to find ways to help John Mahama and the NDC sympathizers to vote in 2024.
