I have no hatred towards Mahama – Bagbin

A defeated National Democratic Congress Presidential aspirant, Mr Alban Sumani Kingsford Bagbin, has debunked assertions that he has hatred toward former president John Mahama.

He said the Mr Mahama acknowledged his criticism in the build-up to the flagbearership contest which saw the ex-president  won a landslide victory by 95 percent of the total valid votes cast.

Speaking to an Accra based radio, Citi FM, Mr Bagbin said, “We are politicians and you have to be in this game for some time to know that anything is possible. Particularly in African because there is so much uncertainty,”

“And so, as you go round trying to show who is a better candidate you will definitely disagree with the other contestant… Anytime you disagree, people say you are a critic and sometimes they even say that it is an attack on the person but that is what democracy is about. That is what competition is about.

“But, at the end of the day he knows me very well and he has worked with me for a long time and he knows I don’t harbour ill-will or hatred and so he knew that what I only criticised to improve. So, he was quite receptive, we had a good chat and we know that with that culture we could do more for the party and this country”.

The final results pronounced by the electoral commission gave Mr Mahama 95.23 % of the total votes cast which represents about  213,487 votes.

The place was Prof. Joshua Alabi who secured  3,404 votes representing 1.52% of the total valid votes cast.

The Second Deputy Speaker and Member of Parliament for Nadowli/Kaleo, Mr Alban Kingsford Sumani Bagbin came third, polling 2,301 votes representing 1.03% of the total votes cast.

Comrade Goosie Tanoh secures the fourth position with 2,091 votes representing 0.93%.

Ekwow Spio Garbrah, a former Trades and Industry Minister, polled 1,447 votes which represents 0.65% of the total votes.

Mr Sylvester Mensah, occupied the sixth position with 934 of valid votes cast representing o.42 percent.

The seventh place with respect to the party’s choice was Nurudeen Iddrisu, who secured 520 votes representing 0.23%

Mr Bagbin has on many occasions said that he was a better choice for the NDC, it is not clear whether the pair will be willing to work again.