The Deputy General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Haruna Mohammed, has argued that President John Dramani Mahama’s involvement in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Council of Elders’ recent directive against early campaigning demonstrates the President’s concern about growing divisions within the governing party.Speaking on Joy FM’s Top Story on Monday, June 1, he said the letter issued by the Council of Elders was not an isolated decision but one that had the backing of President Mahama.“If you read the letter correctly, it means that President Mahama is worried about what is going on. He took part in the decision-making, he consented to what they had written and that is why it is out there,” he said.According to him, the directive points to underlying tensions within the NDC as various interests begin positioning themselves ahead of future presidential primaries.“And again, if you see what is happening, it tells you that there is a clear division within the NDC… President Mahama is doing something, the National Chairman and some other groups are doing something else,” he argued.Mr Mohammed further claimed that both President Mahama and some members of his government may have preferred candidates in mind for the party’s future presidential race.Responding to a question about the basis for that assertion, he maintained that it would be difficult for the President not to have an interest in who eventually succeeds him as the party’s flagbearer.“President Mahama has a casting vote in the NDC presidential primaries. So most definitely, he has a candidate. As I said earlier, he is very much concerned about who will succeed him as a flagbearer,” he stated.He contended that the President’s participation in discussions that led to the issuance of the directive underscores the seriousness with which he views the emerging situation within the party.“So for him to participate in the meeting and raise those particular concerns before him, and this has occasioned a letter to be issued, it tells you how concerned he is. And that is why he took part in that particular decision,” Haruna Mohammed added.