The Mahama 2024 Campaign has accused the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) of “acting as a front for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and seeks to manipulate the electoral process in favour of the ruling party.”
The team has expressed disappointment in the Institute for announcing a Presidential debate without first consulting the flag bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The IEA recently published an announcement of a Presidential and Vice Presidential debate ahead of the December 07 polls, a development that NDC says it knows nothing about.
In a statement signed by Joyce Bawah Mogtari, spokesperson for the team and Special Aide to the former President Friday, July 19, 2024, it said it is completely unacceptable that the IEA issues such an announcement without first contacting the office of John Mahama.
As a major political party in the country, the Mahama campaign thinks it would have been appropriate for the IEA to inform the NDC before embarking on such an announcement.
The Institute’s announcement comes few weeks after the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has called on the opposition for a debate heading into the polls.
Although it has carried out such exercise in previous polls, the Mahama Campaign says the IEA lacks the modus to organise any election related activity in the country.
“The Mahama 2024 Campaign strongly condemns the recent announcement by the Institute of Economic Affairs (lEA) Ghana regarding a presidential debate for the 2024 elections. It is completely unacceptable that the lEA would make such an announcement without engaging or informing the National Democratic Congress, one of the major political parties in Ghana.
“The Constitution of Ghana does not grant the IEA any authority to organise elections-related activities. The fact that the IEA has not shown the decency or respect to at least inform the NDC of its plans raises serious questions about its motives.”
The Mahama Campaign accused the IEA of attempting to manipulate the electoral process in favour of the NPP, stating that Mr Mahama and his running mate Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, have been engaging with the citizenry for many years.
“The IEA is clearly acting as a front for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and seeks to manipulate the electoral process in favour of the ruling party.
“It is important to remind the lEA and the Ghanaian public that the NDC, led by our presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama and running mate Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, has been engaging with the citizenry for many years. Mahama’s online and offline conversations have targeted a wide range of audiences and focused on addressing the needs and concerns of the people of Ghana,” the statement added.
