NDC in pole position to defeat NPP with Bawumia as candidate – Benjamin Quashie

Mr. Benjamin Kofi Quashie chairs the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Council of Elders in South Africa. He believes the NDC can defeat the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in future elections. This is especially true if Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is the NPP's presidential candidate.

On April 16, 2025, Mr. Quashie spoke on JoyNews' UpFront. He discussed the Global InfoAnalytics Post-Election Outlook. He pointed to the NPP’s loss in the 2024 elections as a sign of NDC's growing strength.

“I have said it time and again: we would beat them hands down,” he stated about facing Dr. Bawumia.

When asked about leadership after President John Mahama, Mr. Quashie urged focus on governance. He emphasized supporting President Mahama in fulfilling his mandate.

He warned against premature succession talks, noting that Mahama has not finished forming his government yet. "It’s still early days," he said, stressing that distractions should be avoided.

Regarding potential successors, Mr. Quashie suggested discussions should be left to analysts, not party members. However, he noted that the current Vice President could be a strong candidate due to her achievements.

She was the first female Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast and Ghana's first female Vice President.

Other names mentioned for future NDC leadership include Haruna Iddrisu, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, and Johnson Asiedu Nketia.

Mr. Quashie expressed confidence in these candidates against Dr. Bawumia: “Any of these candidates would defeat Bawumia in a general election.”