Former Head of Political Science Department at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Dr Richard Amoako Baah, says the call for a debate between Vice President Mahamadu Bawumia and former President John Dramani Mahama is a desperate call.
He wants the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to ignore these requests and reject plans for a debate between the 2024 presidential candidates.
The Presidential candidate of the NPP, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has openly challenged the Leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, to host a televised debate to give Ghanaians an opportunity to criticise their policies and initiatives.
Addressing party supporters at a massive rally in Bunkurugu in the northeast, Dr Bawumia expressed enthusiasm for a debate with Mr Mahama but ironically insisted the debate would not happen and accused Mr Mahama of “running away”.
Dr Bawumia, who was responding to Joyce Bawa Mogutari, spokesperson for Mr Mahama’s election team, stressed that the NDC flagbearer and his team are trying to avoid the debate because they cannot explain the “24-hour economy” to Ghanaians.
Joyce Bawa Moghtari is said to have rejected calls for a pre-election debate in a post on X.
She said Dr Bawumia is under no obligation or compulsion to challenge her to a duel debate, insisting that the Vice President should prioritise addressing Ghana’s economic issues over election debates.
Dr Amoako Bah, who reacted in an interview with host of Onua FM’s Atifi Nsem show, Mr Isaac Ekow JB, on Saturday, July 7, described the idea of a pre-election debate as irrational, unnecessary and a cunning move by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
“This is a desperate call as the vice president is looking for an opportunity to rub shoulders with other presidential candidates,” he argued.
“I am not against Mr Bawumia but when you are leading the polls anywhere in the world, you do not accept debate because it is not in your interest to debate,” the former KNUST lecturer reiterated.
He questioned the veracity of Dr Bawumia’s promise, maintaining that the Vice President, who is in charge of the economic management team, still has an opportunity to prove the opposition wrong by salvaging the economy.
He urged Mr Mahama and his campaign team to reject the scheduled debate and focus on their message as pre-election presidential debates are not in their interest.
Article by Maxwell Otoo/Onua FM/3news.com.