2008 elections: Otumfuo asked me to become running mate – Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed how a timely intervention by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, changed the trajectory of his political career by convincing him to accept the position of running mate to the late President John Evans Atta Mills in 2008.

Speaking during a courtesy call by Otumfuo and a delegation of chiefs at the Jubilee House on Monday, June 2, Mahama shared that he was ready to exit active politics when the opportunity to serve as running mate was first presented.

According to him, everything changed after a phone call summoned him to a meeting with the Asantehene.

Mahama stated that Otumfuo reminded him that leadership is a call to duty, not convenience.

“There’s a very special one. The first time Prof. Mills sent Baffoe Bonnie, blessed memory, and a team to come and tell me that he wanted me to be his running mate. And at that time I admit my plans to leave politics, so my response was no, I won’t do it. So later he sent Ato Aboe and Totobi Kwakye and Kwamina to come and ask me to accept to be his running mate. Again I said no. And so one day I was in Accra, I got a call, and he says, Otumfuo wants to see you, Who am I to refuse? So I got up and went. And when I went, he said, ‘hey, are you the one refusing Prof. Mill’s request to he bis vice president, you lie bad, you’ll do it’.

“He says, when your country calls you, you can’t refuse. He says, I was sitting in London somewhere, and my kingdom called me to come and serve, you think I don’t want to enjoy the free life, I had to do it, so you cannot refuse. So he said, okay, I’m going to set up, I’m going to meet President Mills. When I come to Accra, I want your response, because I promised him I would bring your response. When Otumfuo makes a request, who are you to refuse? The rest is history. And so it was instrumental in me becoming President Mills running mate, and of course we went on to win that election, and everything else is history.”

Mahama expressed deep gratitude to the Asantehene for the decisive role he played in shaping his political path.

“So Your Majesty, thank you very much, and I appreciate your friendship.”