Paul Adom-Otchere Reveals Powerful Role Julius Debrah Played in Mahama’s Return to Power

Ghanaian media personality Paul Adom-Otchere has highlighted the significant role Chief of Staff Julius Debrah allegedly played in bringing President John Dramani Mahama back into active presidential politics following his defeat in the 2016 general elections.

According to Adom-Otchere, Debrah was instrumental in convincing Mahama to reconsider his apparent decision to step away from another presidential contest, maintaining that his political journey was not over despite the electoral setback.

Speaking on his Good Evening Ghana programme on Metro TV, the journalist recounted how difficult it was to persuade Mahama to return to the presidential race after his 2016 defeat, in which he lost by approximately one million votes.

He noted that the outcome was particularly historic because Mahama became the first sitting president in Ghana’s Fourth Republic to lose a re-election bid.

Adom-Otchere explained that the magnitude of the defeat had raised serious questions about Mahama’s political future, with indications at the time suggesting that the former president was unwilling to seek the presidency again.

To illustrate the uncertainty surrounding Mahama’s political ambitions at the time, he referred to a January 2017 publication by the Daily Graphic, which reported that Mahama would not contest the presidency again, citing his brother Ibrahim Mahama.

However, Adom-Otchere attributed Mahama’s eventual return to the presidential race largely to Debrah’s determination and confidence in his political prospects.

He explained that Debrah remained convinced that Mahama could make a successful comeback and subsequently worked behind the scenes in 2017 to mobilise political support, resources and influential networks to facilitate his return.

According to the journalist, these efforts contributed to Mahama’s successful bid for the NDC presidential candidacy ahead of the 2020 general elections.

Adom-Otchere further observed that Mahama’s performance in the 2020 elections helped restore confidence within the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and reinforced the former president’s determination to pursue another opportunity to lead the country.

Reflecting on developments after the 2024 general elections, the media personality also discussed the appointment of Julius Debrah as Chief of Staff following Mahama’s return to power.

He noted that while there was considerable public and media speculation over appointments to other strategic government positions, including the Finance Ministry, Attorney-General’s Department and Majority Leadership, Debrah’s selection as Chief of Staff attracted relatively little uncertainty.

Adom-Otchere argued that Debrah’s appointment was widely anticipated because of his longstanding political association with Mahama and the level of trust established between them over the years.

He suggested that the appointment reflected the strength of their political relationship and Debrah’s importance to Mahama’s political journey, particularly his eventual return to the presidency..

Source: https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Paul-Adom-Otchere-credits-Julius-Debrah-with-reviving-Mahama-s-political-career-2061104

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