John Dramani Mahama
Former President John Dramani Mahama has thrown a fresh volley at Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, accusing him of acting like ‘an opposition leader in government.’ The 2024 flagbearer for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) did not hold back as he lambasted Bawumia during a rally in Winneba over the weekend, turning his rival into the punchline of his address.
Mahama, clearly in campaign mode, questioned how Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, could continue to be part of the ruling government while distancing himself from its shortcomings. In a sharp rebuke, Mahama quipped, ‘How can you be an opposition leader in government? You are in government, but you are an opposition leader.’
The former president suggested that Bawumia’s current position has thrown the NPP into a state of disarray. According to Mahama, Bawumia, who also serves as the chairman of the Economic Management Team, is now actively trying to disassociate himself from the administration’s less-than-stellar economic record.
‘It’s clear that there’s confusion in the NPP camp. Even their presidential candidate, who is the Vice President and head of the Economic Management Team, is not running on the record of his government,” Mahama charged. “When I was Professor Mills’ Vice President, and I had to take over and run an election in 2012, I didn’t run away from his record. I was part of the achievements we made during Professor Mills’ time.’
Mahama didn’t stop there, drawing a direct comparison between his own past and Bawumia’s current predicament. He recalled his time as Vice President under the late President John Evans Atta Mills, insisting that he never distanced himself from the successes or challenges of that administration.
‘I did not come and say, I’m a driver’s mate, and that Professor Mills is responsible for everything that has happened. I didn’t do that,” Mahama said, in a thinly veiled jibe at Bawumia. “But we have a situation where the Vice President, who is now the presidential candidate, is running away from his own government’s record. The few good things they’ve done, he says, ‘Oh, I did it.’ But when it comes to the economy, the debts, the inflation, and the runaway dollar, he says, ‘Oh, I was only the driver’s mate.’
Mahama’s remarks are the latest in a series of attacks aimed at the NPP’s management of the economy, a key battleground as the 2024 elections draw near. His comments reflect a strategy to paint Bawumia as a leader who is trying to have it both ways—taking credit for successes while avoiding responsibility for failures.
The political tussle between Mahama and Bawumia is expected to intensify in the coming months, with both candidates seeking to galvanize their bases and sway undecided voters. As the campaign heats up, Mahama’s sharp critique of Bawumia’s perceived double standards could become a defining theme in the battle for the presidency.
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