Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Finance Minister, has finally broken his silence on speculation about a possible presidential bid to succeed President John Dramani Mahama.
Speaking in an interview on TV3 with Roland Walker on November 12, 2026, Dr Forson disclosed that it was too early to consider a presidential bid.
According to Ato Forson, the discussion about his potential presidential bid is unimportant at this stage.
Ato Forson stated, “Oh, it’s too early to have this conversation [about the presidency]. I don’t think it’s important at this stage”.
The Finance Minister argued that the Mahama-led administration assumed office at a difficult time and therefore had a responsibility to address the country’s challenges.
According to Ato Forson, the government must prioritise delivering on the promises it made to Ghanaians rather than discussions about future leadership to distract it.
He added, “Let me tell you, this is a government that was elected on the back of crisis. We are in office, we have a mandate, and we have to focus on the job”.
Ato Forson warned that discussions about a possible presidential bid at this stage could distract the government from its responsibilities.
“Please, and please, that conversation must not happen at this stage. It will put the country off. It will only be a distraction from the mandate of His Excellency President Mahama, and so we have a responsibility to make sure that we deliver on that mandate,” he added.
Even though Ato Forson has been mentioned in public discussions and grassroots campaigns as a possible future presidential candidate, he has not officially declared any intention to contest the presidency.
Meanwhile, Paul Adom-Otchere, a Ghanaian Media Personality and host of Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana, has claimed President John Mahama is grooming Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson.
According to Paul Adom-Otchere, John Mahama is grooming Ato Forson to smash Asiedu Nketia and to succeed him as the NDC flagbearer and President of Ghana.
He argued that President Mahama, who received an invitation to be at the new Benin President’s inauguration, chose Ato Forson to attend instead of the Vice President or the Chief of Staff.
Speaking in one of the episodes of Good Evening Ghana, Paul Adom-Otchere detailed, “President Mahama nailed it. All of this Asiedu Nketia matter happened on Friday: Asiedu Nketia’s statement, Haruna Iddrisu’s response; it all happened on Friday, but President Mahama nailed it.
On Sunday, when the invitation had come for the Beninua government for the President of Ghana to attend the inauguration of the President of Benin, His Excellency the President John Dramani Mahama decided to send Cassiel Ato Forson to represent him. He is already building Ato Forson for the job. There is Ato Forson margetoically, incoming President of Ghana”.
He further added, “The new president of Benin was also the Finance Minister; he ran for President and won. Who is Ato Forson today, Finance Minister? Does he want to run for president? Yes, does he want to win? Yes. If he runs for president, does he mean Asiedu Nketia can also run? No, unless he joins The Base party.
Ato Forson is winning this thing. So President Mahama sends Ato Forson to Benin to represent Ghana. This is a presidential event; if the president cannot come, it is the vice president who will go; if he cannot, the Chief of Staff will go. This is President Mahama giving Ato Forson a full presidential red carpet in Benin, preparing him for the job.
Whoa. That’s Cassiel Ato Forson… Viewers, please clap for him… This is the president of Ghana who has then given the opportunity to his finance minister, whom he is grooming, to smash Asiedu Nketiah out of the race to become the NDC flagbearer and then fight the election in 2028. If he does not win, he is young. If Dr Bawumia wins, he will serve two terms. After two terms, they will remove you. Ato Forson will run in 2032; that is the plan of John Mahama. Goodnight to Asiedu Nketia for the NDC flagbearership”.
Watch the video below:
Ato Forson finally responds to people calling him to be the next president https://t.co/swUDLqxOdf
— Showdown Trends (@ShowdownTrends) November 13, 2026
