Claim: Multiple sources say the 2024 flagbearer of Ghana’s opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, has submitted a list of proposed ministers to his party executives if he wins the December polls.
Verdict: False. DUBAWA’s investigations have revealed that the ex-Ghanaian leader, John Mahama, has not released any list of ministers as alleged. Reacting to the claim on Facebook on June 15, 2024, Mr Mahama described the reports as “fake news and disinformation.”
Full Text
Multiple news reports have alleged that John Mahama, the 2024 presidential candidate of Ghana’s opposition NDC, has submitted a list of proposed ministers to his party executives ahead of a possible win in the presidential election in December.
Online news portal Themetrolensonline reported on June 15, 2024, that:
“Dr Randy Abbey, host of Good Morning Ghana on Metro TV; Martin Kpebu, a private legal practitioner; and Kevin Ekow Taylor, host of With All Due Respect – a show mainly published on Loud Silence TV – have allegedly been penciled for ministerial positions should John Dramani Mahama, flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, emerge victorious in the 2024 general elections.”
Another online news portal, Thecustodianghonline reported on June 16, 2024, that:
“A proposed ministerial list of National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer for the 2024 general election, John Dramani Mahama, has leaked ahead of the crucial December 7 polls.”
Other online news portals published the alleged list of proposed ministers, including the names of some respected journalists and lawyers in the country, here, here, and here.
Also, see here, here, and here, where the claim was shared online by some X (formerly Twitter) users. With a combination of over 9,267 followers, the X users amplified the claim.
Similarly, the claim has been shared on Facebook here, here, and here.
A Facebook user wrote on June 15, 2024, that:
“Former President John Mahama and NDC flagbearer thinks that he has won the 2024 elections already and so he has already selected his list of Ministerial nominees to the Appointment Committee of the NDC for scrutiny. Shockingly, the list includes loudmouth lawyer Martin Kpebu as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General and the Insulting-General Kelvin Taylor as the Minister of Information.”
DUBAWA decided to investigate the claim because it had gone too viral. The investigation is part of the campaign against misinformation ahead of Ghana’s 2024 election.
Verification
The ex-Ghanaian leader and 2024 flagbearer of the opposition NDC, John Mahama, has disputed the reports making the rounds online.
Reacting to the claim on Facebook on June 15, 2024, Mr Mahama wrote:
“Our opponents believe that fake news and disinformation will help their sinking campaign.”
DUBAWA conducted a Google keyword search to determine whether any credible media organisations in the West African country have reported on the purported released ministerial list.
However, the search’s findings revealed that no reports from the country’s reputable media organisations on the claim are online.
Also, reacting to the claim on X, Joyce Bawa Motgari, the ex-Ghana leader’s chief spokesperson, encouraged the public to disregard the reports.
“Ignore the Disinformation by government agents and Bawumai’s campaign,” she wrote.
DUBAWA later contacted some social media users who shared the claim to disclose their source, but they have yet to respond to the inquiry.
Conclusion
It is not true that the 2024 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, John Mahama, has submitted a list of proposed ministers to his party executives ahead of a possible win in the forthcoming presidential election.
